Surfing: Brazil's Chianca ready for Paris after recovering from injury

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Brazil's former world number four Joao Chianca will be one of the surfers to watch at next month's Paris Olympics at Tahiti's Teahupo'o having defied the odds after sustaining a life-threatening concussion in December.

Chianca enjoyed his best season in 2023, only a year after his championship debut, winning his first title in Peniche, Portugal and clinching four top-five finishes on the circuit to reach the World Surf League (WSL) Finals in September.

"I was happy to have an excellent year, to start a very good year for my career, where I had my first World Tour victory," the Chianca, known as Chumbinho, told Reuters.

"I had my first lead on the World Tour and until the middle of the year, it was really tough.

"(Brazil's) Filipe (Toledo) ended up becoming world champion and I ended up fourth in the rankings and the second best Brazilian. So I think it was a very good ranking and I'm proud of it."

However, in early December, Chianca suffered a severe wipeout while training at The Pipeline on Oahu's North Shore, Hawaii, falling unconscious and remaining in the water for several minutes before being rescued and taken to hospital.

The 23-year-old was kept under observation for two weeks after hitting his head on the reef, suffering a fracture, contusion and bleeding on his brain.

Six months later, 'Chumbinho' made an impressive comeback at the Surf City El Salvador Pro, beating world number two Griffin Colapinto in the Round of 16 before falling to three-times world champion Gabriel Medina for a fifth-place finish.

"I'm getting very close to my Olympic dream, and I realise that this battle against this injury is almost over," Chianca said.

"I'm almost really winning, and there's nothing like the day by day. I keep going, I keep doing what I can to keep going."

Chianca will be familiar with the Olympic stage in Tahiti, where he hopes to be at his best for the July 27-31 event.

"The Olympic wave, where it's going to take place, is a marvellous place, a wonderful energy. I have a very good relationship with the wave from my free surfing trips there," he said.

"It's a place I like a lot, it's a place where I have the focus and the goal of doing well in an event there. And now I'm getting a golden opportunity to take part in the biggest sporting event on this wave."

"Physically, psychologically, mentally. Whatever you want to put on me, I'm ready," the Brazilian added. REUTERS