Spain's Andy Criere, France's Joan Duru, Morocco's Ramzi Boukhiam, Rio Wiada (INA) and Germany's Tim Elter secured their five tickets to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after a brilliant day of surfing on the north coast of Puerto Rico. 

The ISA World Surfing Games (WSG) 2024 were the last available spots. Meanwhile, Brazil lead the women's team rankings, while France top the men's rankings. Yago Dora (BRA) put on a spectacular air show. He had an almost perfect score. 

On the final day, the waves were two to three metres high. The five surfers secured their passage to Paris 2024. Yago Dora (Brazil) made the most of the conditions. Taking advantage of the strong trade winds blowing directly to the left, he showed why he is one of the best acrobats in the world, with an almost perfect score of 18.46 and two nine-point rides. 

Defending gold medallists Tatiana Weston-Webb (Brazil) and Taina Hinckel (Brazil) keep the Brazilian women's team in first place. They are the only team with two women in the draw. Rio Waida completes his long journey to qualify for Paris 2024. He was already an Olympian at Tokyo 2020. Before the WSG 2024, his qualification was in doubt. Finally, the 24-year-old will be in Paris.

Waida, Ramzi Boukhiam (Morocco) and Tim Elter (Germany) each had two more points than Williams in the second heat of the round. The three of them qualified for the Olympic Games, along with Andy Criere (Spain), who along with Yago Dora (Brazil) had beaten Williams.

"It was a tough road. I am excited for Tahiti. The Olympic Games are one of the most important events for an athlete. I'm happy, I can't wait for the Olympics. I'm sure I'll be able to improve my level in Tahiti," said Waida, as quoted by the International Surfing Association. "It is one of the most beautiful places in the world. I'm looking forward to it," he added. 

French teammates Joan Duru (France) and Marco Mignot (France) faced off against Gabriel Medina (Brazil) in an intense heat of the Main Round 5. Although it was a non-elimination heat, it had significant Olympic implications as the better placed of Duru and Mignot would qualify for Paris 2024.

Duru, the 2021 WSG gold medallist, was thrilled to accept his ticket to Paris 2024. He announced his retirement from competitive surfing after the Olympics. "I am very happy that the Olympic Games are in France. It was my last goal. I wanted to end my career in France and Teahupo'o in August is the best place to surf in France, so there will be incredible waves," he told ISA. 

Meanwhile, Tim Elter and Andy Criere will also be in Paris 2024. Elter was originally an alternate for Germany. He only got the call to join the team two months ago. "I get excited when I think about Teahupo'o. I'm super excited and thrilled to be surfing the Olympics at a place like Teahupo'o. I grew up surfing bigger waves and I love waves," stressed Elter.

Criere is a two-time Spanish national champion, but the 28-year-old had never achieved anything as important as this. "It's a dream come true. It has been a long journey, a lot of people have helped me to get where I am and told me to have faith and surf. Getting here has been something big. Just making the heats, surfing with my favourite surfers and getting this ticket to Teahupo'o," he said.

QUALIFIED ATHLETES FOR PARIS 2024 WSG 2024 

Women: 

Anat Lelior (Israel), Camilla Kemp (Germany), Janire Gonzalez-Extabarri (Spain), Nadia Erostarbe (Spain), Siqi Yang (China), Sol Aguirre (Peru), Taina Hinckel (Brazil) and Yolanda Sequeira (Portugal).

Men: 

Alonso Correa (Peru), Andy Criere (Spain), Joan Duru (France), Ramzi Boukhiam (Morocco), Rio Waida (Indonesia) and Tim Elter (Germany). 

PREVIOUSLY QUALIFIED ATHLETES

Women Qualified via WSG 2023 ISA: 

Saffi Vette (New Zealand), Sarah Baum (South Africa), Shino Matsuda (Japan) and Vahine Fierro (France).

Qualified via WSL Championship Tour: 

Brisa Hennessy (Costa Rica), Carissa Moore (United States), Caroline Marks (United States), Johanne Defay (France), Molly Picklum (Australia), Tatiana Weston-Webb (Brazil), Teresa Bonvalot (Portugal) and Tyler Wright (Australia). 

Men Qualified via WSG 2023 ISA:

Alan Cleland Jr. (Mexico), Billy Stairmand (New Zealand), Kauli Vaast (France) and Reo Inaba (Japan). 

Qualified via WSL Championship Tour: 

Ethan Ewing (Australia), Filipe Toledo (Brazil), Griffin Colapinto (United States), Jack Robinson (Australia), João Chianca (Brazil), John John Florence (United States), Jordy Smith (South Africa), Matthew McGillivray (South Africa), Kanoa Igarashi (Japan) and Leonardo Fioravanti (Italy).