2024 Paris Olympics: Carissa Moore upset and eliminated in surfing competition

Carissa Moore was consoled by her husgand after being eliminated from Olympic competition.

Rough surf in Tahiti ended Carissa Moore's quest for another Olympic gold medal in surfing.

After losing to Johanne Defay of France, Moore came out of the surf in tears and was greeted by applause and cheers from onlookers and fellow competitors.

When she composed herself, she gamely met with the media. "When you come up short of a dream, it sucks," said Moore, who won the sports first gold medal in Tokyo in the 2021 Olympics and was expected to compete in the finals again.

FYI: Follow all the AANHPI athletes at the Paris Olympics.

"It’s very raw. You put everything you have into something. I put my whole year [into this]. I took a chance. I left the [Championship] Tour. I came here. I spent months out of the year, just trying to do my very best. And when you come up short of a dream, it sucks. But at the same time, how fun was it? I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“I would’ve been so bummed if I looked back and I only did that half-heartedly. I went all-in. I just hope that at the end of the day I can encourage whoever’s watching – win  or lose – don’t be afraid to go into it fearlessly. Don’t be afraid to fail. The process has been so much fun. I feel like there’s been a lot of personal growth in and out of the water," said Moore, who is of Hawaiian and Filipino descent.

“I’m really proud of my backside barrel-riding. I caught some waves I never thought I would have ever caught in my whole life. So, obviously I’m really sad to not be part of Finals Day, and get to represent my home and my family one more time. But I’m really grateful. I couldn’t have imagined a better place to finish off my career,” said Moore,  praising the Tahiti hosts and surfing site,  Teahupo'o, which is Tahition for "place for skulls."

The quarter-finals of the women's competition were postponed for two days because of the rough surf caused by tropical storms. By Thursday, the judges felt the weather had improved enough to continue the competition even though condtiions were worse than the day the men competed on Monday.

The surf forecast is the biggest determining factor of when the surfing competition will take place, predicting when swells are expected to arrive, as well as the angle and size of the waves. The competition must conclude by Aug. 5 -- next Monday -- so it's important to pick what forecasters think will be the best days.

Moore wasn't the only experienced surfer affectd by the conditions. "It was complicated to find the tube in the waves," said French Polynesian Vahine Fierro, who lost her heat to teammate Defay. "I was ready to do maneuvers, to do tubes. But it was quite complicated on the water."

In an earlier interview this week, she said that wants to start a family with her husband, entrepreneur Luke Untermann. 

"I'm going to give myself some time to just take a break," said Moore, who is of Hawaiian and Filipino descent.

"I hope to be surfing until I'm old and gray," she said. "It's strange to think that I'll kind of be wrapping up the competitive chapter in a sense, but I'm not closing the door. Who knows, maybe in a few years, I have an itch that I want to scratch and come back, or maybe I'll put the jersey on and try some fun events. But for now, there's just some other things that are exciting me.”

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