Japanese surfers dominated the sport’s debut at the Asian Games, held at Long Beach south of Nagoya, claiming both gold medals amid rainy conditions. The event marked surfing’s first appearance at the continental multi-sport competition.

Kanoa Igarashi, a Japanese American surfer who won silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, secured his place at a third Games by capturing the men’s gold on September 29. The 28-year-old, who was eliminated in the third round of the 2024 Paris Olympics, earned a rare perfect 10 score during his semifinal heat against Filipino competitor Toby Espejon before defeating Indonesia’s I Made Pajar Ariyana in the final. With the victory, Igarashi has qualified to compete near his home break in California at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

“Winning the gold medal has left me with feelings I really can’t put into words. I’m incredibly proud to have won gold for Japan at this Asian Games,” Igarashi said. “Securing a place at the Olympics is truly a dream come true. It’s even better than I could have imagined.” He added that the Olympics and Asian Games had been a constant focus in his preparation, visualizing success before sleep each night.

In the women’s competition, 18-year-old Mirai Ikeda claimed gold by defeating China’s Yang Siqi in the final. Ikeda said she was determined to win for Japan in front of the home crowd and adopted a strategic approach throughout the contest. “I was absolutely determined not to let a competitor from another country win here in Japan, so I stuck close to my opponent right from the start with a strong mindset, and I went into determined that I would definitely catch a good wave,” she said.

The Olympic surfing qualification rules allow for up to two male and two female competitors from each country. The spots earned through the Asian Games will remain valid unless other Japanese surfers secure Olympic berths by competing in the 2027-2028 Championship Tour or the 2028 World Games, which serves as the world championships for the sport.