Surfer Sophia Medina is excited to say that she was "practically born in the sea." Sister of three-time world champion Gabriel, she grew up with his example and is taking increasingly firm steps to build her own path in the sport.
At age 16, Sophia won a stage of the QS (Qualifying Series) in Saquarema (RJ), which is part of the access circuit to the World Surf League in Latin America. The victory placed her at the top of the regional qualifying rankings for the Challenger Series 2022, the last gateway to the world's elite.
"I also wanted to win the first new QS. That's when you really see that you're capable of winning big championships," said Sophia to Folha.
In addition to the fraternal reference, she celebrates having women as role models. On this list are Hawaiian Carissa Moore, five-time world champion, and the last Brazilian women to join the WSL elite, Silvana Lima and Tatiana Weston-Webb.
"There is a huge generation of girls my age. I want to be better than them, they want to be better than me, and in this competitive world, one ends up being an inspiration to the other," she says.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon