Canadian surfer Sanoa Olin clinches Olympic berth while eyeing Pan Am Games gold medal
Canadian surfer Sanoa Dempfle-Olin qualified for next summer’s Olympic Games in Paris by reaching the Pan American Games women’s shortboard final Monday.
The 18-year-old from Tofino, B.C., posted scores of 4.50 on her first wave and 5.50 on her second to win the bronze-medal heat 10-4.20 over Leilani McGonagle of Costa Rica.
Olin advanced to the gold-medal round against Brazil’s Tatiana Weston-Webb, scheduled for 12:33 p.m. ET.
Canada didn’t have a surfer in the sport’s Olympic debut in Tokyo two years ago.
Olin’s older sister Mathea won Pan Am Games bronze in Lima, Peru in 2019.
In April, Sanoa Olin clinched a spot at the Pan Am Games placing fourth at the Pan American Surfing Games in Santa Catalina, Panama.
Last month, she won women’s shortboard on the North American Qualifying Series in Nags Head, N.C., for her first victory in three finals this year. Mathea edged her in February at the SLO CAL Open at Morro Bay, Calif.
WATCH | Highlights of Sunday’s late action from Santiago, Chile: