By Charles Mgbolu
Clasping a white surf board, Moroccan professional surfer Ramzi Boukhiam took in deep breaths before racing into the powerfully curling blue waves of Cacimba do Padre beach on the Brazilian island of Fernando de Noronha.
This was the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games (WSG), the all-important final stage of qualification for surfing in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which took place from February 23rd to March 3rd, 2024.
After hours of riding majestically in the roaring waters, Boukhiam emerged second, as Brazilian surfing star Gabriel Medina won gold and Frenchman Kauli Vaast clinched bronze.
The win also means Boukhiam also secured his ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
It will be Boukhiam’s second participation at the Olympics, having competed in Tokyo 2020.
Boukhiam has been praised by Moroccans on social media for his remarkable improvement from previous tournaments.
He had placed 6th overall at the ISA World Surfing Games in 2019, earning qualification for the 2020 Summer Olympics as the highest-placed African surfer.
He later competed in the men's shortboard event at the Olympics, where he was eliminated in the third round by Michel Bourez of France.
The 30-year-old surfer told reporters he was thrilled by his result, especially after going into the qualifiers with an ankle injury.
‘’I’m so thrilled! Morocco, we did it again, a second time,’’ he said excitedly.
Boukhiam’s brilliance in the Oi Hang Loose Pro Contest allowed him to move straight up from 163rd to the second position in the world ranking with 5,375 points.
Considered the best professional surfer in Morocco, this much-needed win will serve as a morale-booster for Boukhiam to deliver an even greater performance during the upcoming Olympic games.
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