World Champion Medina announces return to World Surf circuit after mental break

Three-time world surfing champion Gabriel Medina of Brazil is expected to return to competition next month for the second half of the World Surf League (WSL) season.

“This time [away] was good for me. It’s not a secret. It’s even interesting to talk about mental health. I had depression. I started treating myself with a psychologist. I never imagined being in this situation. It’s scary. Things stop making sense for you.”

In January, the 28-year-old announced he was taking a break from professional surfing to focus on his mental health, saying he was “not in a place where I believe I can perform against the world’s best” and needed to focus on his well-being.

Shortly after Medina’s announcement, Brazilian media reported he and his wife had ended their marriage.

Medina told Globo TV, “I learned a lot during this time. I’m better, happy to be finding myself again. Last year, there were heats where I was crying going to the water.”

Medina will now be back in action and is set to surf at the G-Land stage of the WSL season in Indonesia. In an interview with Esporte Espetacular, the surfer from Maresias said he is ready seek a fourth title.

Medina’s time away this season has put his life in a wider perspective on what really matters - his relationship with his family.

“I started too early - when I was 14 years old, I already had a sponsor, I already had a salary and I always had family management. I got to a point where I needed to professionalize my life. I wanted to be more involved in decisions and I think it’s part of coming of age. We are human beings, each one has an opinion, each one has a way of thinking. Finally, that breakup happened. I haven’t talked to them much, but time is the best medicine. I hope all is well with them. I know my little sister is doing well, they’re traveling like hell with her. Things will work out, let’s give it time.”

In missing the first five stages of the season, Medina does not have enough points to qualify for the final group of 22 surfers. However the WSL granted Medina an ‘injured’ exemption so he may compete in the remaining tour dates for the 2022 season.

Medina will make his season debut in G-land, Indonesia, in the sixth of the 10 stages of the circuit, which takes place between May 28 and June 6.

“I’m anxious. First, because I’m going to enter the middle of the circuit. I’ll have five stages to compete, but I’m focused on surfing wave by wave, heat by heat, not thinking about anything. Just having fun and doing what I love and what makes me feel.”

To have the chance to win his fourth WSL title, Medina will have to land a spot among the top five in the remaining races to compete in the knockout stage of the WSL Finals. This year’s finals will be held on the waves of Trestles Beach in San Diego.

“I want to win more world titles for sure. I thought I would stop at three, but I want to go for more. I’m excited, motivated. I believe that I am entering the best moment of my life. It’s taking advantage of this gift that God gave me, which is surfing, leaving a legacy. That’s what I think for myself.”

As the first surfer to land a back flip during a competition, Medina stormed into the Tokyo 2020 Games as the as the world’s No. 1 ranked contender.

He wound up finishing forth in a tightly contested medal round behind fellow Brazilian Italo Ferreira, who took gold followed by Aussie Owen Wright and Kanoa Igarashi from Japan.

Surfing will once again appear on the Paris 2024 docket and the venue is set to be held in Tahiti. Qualifying for the games are yet to be determined but WSL season standings were used to set the field of competitors for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.