Filipino world surfing champ eyes Olympics

MANILA, Philippines -- To compete in the Olympics remains to be the goal for Filipino surfer Marama Tokong.

Tokong, who recently won the 2024 World Surf League (WSL) La Union International Pro shortboard division, said that he wants to compete and fly the Philippine flag in the Olympics.

“That is my goal, competing in the Olympics,” the 26-year-old surfer told Philstar.com at the sidelines of the Baler International Pro.

“Especially, surfing as sports here in the Philippines, surfing as a sport is something new,” he added.

Tokong made history in 2023 when he became the first Filipino to qualify for the WSL Challenger Series.

“So our goal is to be in the Olympic surfing games, to be there and to represent our country,” he added.

Surfing debuted in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and there will be eight more surfers who will compete in this year’s edition in Paris.

After the three Olympic qualifiers last year, there is still one event left -- the ISA World Surfing Games in Puerto Rico.

Tokong said he hopes to compete in the ISA World Surfing Games for  an Olympic berth.

The completion will run from February 23 to March 3.

This year, Tokong is also eyeing to go back to the Challenger Series, which pits the best of the best.

Those who go through the Challenger Series would then go through to the Championship Tour.

“That is also our goal [to return to the Challenger Series]. Hopefully, I qualify again. I now feel more confident because I know the athletes now around the world.”

He has won two WSL events -- those in La Union and Siargao.

In Baler, however, he was unable to get to the quarterfinals after placing third in the round of 16 heat 3 earlier in the week.

Tokong finished behind Joh Azuchi of Japan and Ketut Agus of Indonesia, who scored 13.15 and 11.35, respectively, compared to the Filipino’s 10.45.

The Baler International Pro, the first WSL event held in the municipality, is now down to the Final Four. Japanese surfers Rinta Oooto and Hiroto Ohhara will face each other in the semis, while Azuchi and Agus will compete in Heat 2.