Surfing GOAT Stephanie Gilmore to miss Olympics after shock announcement

Following her shock exit from the World Surf League in 2023, Stephanie Gilmore is starting 2024 on a quiet note it seems, as the legend revealed she is taking a year off from competition. A surprise move as this will include a much-anticipated appearance at the 2024 Olympic Games.

“I am planning to take this tour season off as a refresh for myself physically, mentally, and to enjoy following swells and free surfing in new places. I have some projects and trips I want to do, which haven’t been possible while traveling for the tour season," she revealed on Instagram 23 January, as reported by the Olympic's official website.

“I am still passionate and dedicated to competing, and I have goals and dreams that I am still chasing – I’m excited for something fresh this year and I look forward to returning to competition in 2025,” the statement concluded.

This is just the second time the Olympics will see surfing included as an event; the first of course being Tokyo 2020 which Gilmore claimed a disappointing ninth place after being eliminated by eventual silver medallist Bianca Buitendag.

It's also another blow for Olympic surfing, which is set to take place at Teahupo'o in Tahiti, French Polynesia this year, as 2020 Olympic gold medallist Carissa More announced that she was also taking a year, just one week before Gilmore's announcement, according to Sports Illustrated.

But it seems Gilmore's love for competition is still there, and the year out is a necessity to get her form back to the level she needs. After all, it's a physically demanding sport, and making it to the level she has requires a huge amount of care and attention.

Gilmore needs to be strong, flexible, brave and focused. And even if you aren't a surfer or a professional athlete, she has some great habits that anyone could benefit from. As she told Vogue in 2022, it's all about connecting with her body and connecting with her environment.

Gilmore avoids the obstacle that gets in the way of so many in the morning- surfing her phone. Instead, she gets right into some breathing and yoga for about 15 minutes. From there, without eating, she hops in the ocean to surf for around an hour and a half.

She said that the most challenging part of surfing is that the environment is totally out of her control. "It’s like showing up to a tennis Grand Slam and maybe the tennis court moved three feet to the left at one moment, and the next day you show up and it’s clay," she said, adding that the most important part of training is developing a strong connection with the ocean.

After her morning in the waves, she mixes it up with other activities. "Keeping it fresh is important," she told Vogue, saying she loves anything from dancing to playing soccer to swimming, boxing or hiking. "I think it’s really important for everyone to do things that just keep your brain switched on."

To be a World Champion, she eats like a World Champion and says that diet is crucial. But she listens to her body and doesn't travel with a professional chef. She intuitively gravitates toward a lot of organic protein, fruit, yogurt and brown grains.

Since surfing can take a toll on the body, Gilmore also ensures she gives her body time to recover. As an athlete, she speeds that up with massages, saunas and ice baths.

Looking back, the routine has worked for her. In September 2022, Stephanie Gilmore won the Women's WSL World Tour which ended with the Rip Curl WSL Finals in Lower Trestles (California). It was her record-breaking eighth World Surf League Championship.

Gilmore took the victory at 34 years old and had everything against her: she had just won once that season in the CT, she was the last qualified in the finals, and the year before the competition everything indicated that her star was starting to fade.

But sports geniuses are like that and grow in the face of difficulties. She beat adversaries like Brisa Hennessey, Tatiana Weston-Webb, and Joanne Defay arriving, in the end, at the big final. In the end, she beat Hawaiian Carissa Moore in an overwhelming victory to make history.

With that victory, Stephanie Gilmore became the first woman to win 8 World Surf League world championships (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2022). That way, she surpassed her compatriot, Layne Beachley.

A historic record on a historic day in the life of Gilmore who got emotional on the podium when receiving the trophy: "To be honest, this was the best win I've had."

After the win, the surfer expressed: "To come all the way from fifth and just grind it out all the way to the final. I knew it was possible, I knew I could try and conserve some energy and make it work... I'm stoked I had a shot at it, and here we are – anything is possible."

Stephanie Gilmore was born in Murwillumbah, New South Wales (Australia) on January 20, 1988, and has been a predominant force in the surf scene since her first world championship win in 2007.

Her incredible performance on the board and her impeccable style have earned her the title of 'Queen of style.' Furthermore, her positive and joyful personality also granted her a nickname inside the surf world: 'Happy Gilmore'.

Trained by her father, a surf lover, Gilmore started practicing at just 10 years old on the Australian Golden Coast. She was already competing at 17 years old.

In 2005, Stephanie Gilmore won her first big championship: the Roxy Pro Gold Coast. The next year she participated again and qualified for the ASP World Tour. That was the beginning of the incredible legend she is now.

In 2022, Gilmore confirmed that she is the best of all. She doubled the number of titles she won in 2010. And that had already been the year in which she entered the Surf Hall of Fame for being the youngest surfer to achieve such success at just 22 years old.

Also in 2010, Gilmore received the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the year award. She went on to sign the biggest contract in the history of female surf. The brand Quicksilver paid her approximately 5 million dollars.

The assault by a man with an iron bar in 2010 and the injuries that she suffered in 2013 caused the surf star to slow down a bit. Then, other great surfers arrived, like Tyler Wright and, more recently, Carissa Moore and Caroline Marks.

However, after years of work, Gilmore earned the golden letters of another nickname: 'GOAT'.

Kelly Slater, the 11-time world champion and surf legend, said the following about Gilmore and her achievements: "Since I saw Steph competing for the first time in the Gold Coast, I knew her destiny was to become the best surfer of our time, thanks to her natural grace and beautiful style on the waves."

But it's not the first time Slater is in awe of Gilmore. In June 2022, he said: "Stephanie Gilmore is an original bad***. She surfs like people should surf and she plays music from her soul."

While we don't know exactly when we'll see Gilmore back in the water, we can't help but admire and respect her decision – she's more than earned it after so many years at the top!