Gabriel Medina, nicknamed 'El Mago' (The Magician), came very close to the highest surfing score on Monday 29 July. The three-time World Champion (2014, 2018 and 2021) scored a 9.90, the highest score so far in the French competition, in his Round of 16 routine to win the third round key against Japan's Kanoa Igarashi.

It is also the highest score in the history of the Olympic Games, a competition in which surfing will appear for the second time after Tokyo 2020. Surfing is a sport that tends to produce great postcards and the most talked about part of his ominous performance was the photo taken by photographer Jerome Brouillet (AFP) as the Brazilian celebrated his victory. A picture that went viral on social media and was also shared by Gabriel Medina on his Instagram account.

The gold medal favourite dazzled the crowd by riding the tubular wave almost perfectly, taking advantage of the big waves on the day. Knowing what he had done, Medina came out of the tube, raised both hands and spread his palms to signal to the judges to give him a 10, the top score.

It's not the first time Medina has shone on the clear and dangerous waves of Teahupo'o. The São Paulo native has never been off the podium at this stage of the World Surf League (WSL) circuit since becoming the first Brazilian to win the world title in 2014. At the WSL stop in May, for example, he almost achieved a perfect battery with scores of 10 and 9.83.

It's a dream to compete in the Olympics in these conditions. I never imagined that I could show the world this kind of surfing, because we don't always have this kind of conditions", said Medina, 30, in statements released by the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB). Medina was scheduled to compete in today's Men's Quarter Final against compatriot Joao Chianca (BRA), but Tuesday's competition has been cancelled.

After 7 heats with good to epic conditions, the waves started to collapse at the start of heat 8. The wind came ashore and the waves became practically non-existent. The wind came onshore and the waves went from near perfect to nasty and almost uncontrollable. Still, Ethan Ewing from Australia and O'Leary Connor from Japan managed to find some good tube time and some high scoring waves.

The heat was won by Ewing (AUS) thanks to a deep, thick barrel that earned him an 8.67. He added that to a 5.50 on the tube. She added a 5.50 and was able to beat O'Leary's (JPN) total score of 11.00. With the women's third heat suspended due to weather conditions, Ewing's victory marked the end of the day's surfing in Tahiti.