Mendes says hell still compete if the waves are good. Lucky guy. Photo: WSL
Brazilian Jesse Mendes says hes done with pursuing the Olympics. In 2022, he leveraged his grandmothers Italian roots to get citizenship and compete under Italys national flag. Mendes motivation for doing so: 100 percent the Olympics, he said. Even though the Paris 2024 qualification system still has 18 slots left to be decided, hes going to put the competition grind on the back burner in 2024, skipping the QS circuit and the World Surfing Games in February the last Olympic qualifier.
At the end of last year, I started just thinking a bunch and I just started to see that my heart wasnt there anymore, Mendes told The Inertia about his competition surfing. If Im not fully committed, why would I travel around the world (to compete and) get bummed if I lose?
(The Olympics) was no longer really a dream for me, Mendes added. I was a little burned out on competing. The toughest part was just committing. Theres a lot that comes with it and I tip my hat to everyone who does it, because they put in so much energy. They put their whole lives into it. Everyone thinks that competitors just travel and get to put on a jersey. And even if the waves suck theyre getting paid for surfing. But theres way more behind it the training, the mindset, the preparation, pretty much 24-7 thinking about it. And that takes a lot of energy out of you.
Mendes was just one of a handful of surfers who realized their chances of Olympic qualification would be better if they switched countries. Given that the Olympic qualification system for surfing is capped at two surfers of each gender per country (with a few caveats), athletes like Mendes, who has ten fellow Brazilians on the CT competing for those slots, looked for the simpler route: switching nationalities. Surfers like Kanoa Igarashi went from the U.S. to Japan. Brisa Hennessy went from the U.S. to Costa Rica. Tatiana Weston-Webb (Mendes wife) went from the U.S. to Brazil. A handful of other surfers followed suit.
It was Mendes idea to reach out to Italys surfing federation in 2022 to let them know about his Italian bloodline. He was hoping to qualify as an Italian on the 2023 WSL CT. When he didnt qualify, he tried again at the 2023 ISA World Surfing Games, which also proved fruitless. Thats when he contacted the federation again, to let them know that his goals had shifted away from competition. According to Mendes, the federation was shocked, but understanding.
While Mendes is stepping away from the Olympic qualification pathway, he doesnt deny the value of winning a medal. I have nothing against people that love that theyre going to be (Olympians), said Mendes My wifes biggest dream is to be an Olympic gold medalist more than anything. But for me, it just wasnt there.
As far as whats in store for Mendes in 2024, he says hell be working closely with his main sponsor, Body Glove, making new surf edits, and doing a bit of web commentating with the WSL. Hes even got a new edit set to drop at the beginning of the new year featuring surf trips in Portugal and Indonesia. But dont be surprised if you do see Mendes wearing a competition jersey in 2024. I wouldnt be opposed to doing an event where the waves are sick, he added.
Read this article:
Jesse Mendes Says He Wont Pursue Olympics After Switching From Brazil to Italy - The Inertia
- The weight of gold - Anna Kiesenhofer on managing expectations after Tokyo Olympics shock victory - Cyclingnews - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- Climate Crisis Forces the IOC to Rethink Winter Olympics - Greek Reporter - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- Macron: "If there are security problems, the inauguration could be reconsidered" - Insidethegames.biz - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- Its not only the Olympics that could be coming to Utah in 2034 - Deseret News - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- British teen Sky Brown targets medals in two sports at Paris Olympics - The Telegraph - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- From Stanford to Team USA, a water polo dynasty eyes an Olympic four-peat - The Athletic - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- 'Boys in the Boat' gives Hollywood treatment to rowing during an Olympic year - Denver 7 Colorado News - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- USSS Nominates Stellar Teams for 2024 Youth Olympic Winter Games in Gangwon, South Korea - SkiRacing.com - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- Mohamad Aniq chasing fourth ranking in Olympic qualification for Paris - theSun - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- Olympic Hurdler Michelle Jenneke Brought the Vibes to Las Vegas - Yahoo Life - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- France could move Paris Olympics opening ceremony over security concerns - The Hill - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- Aaron Picos unknown Bellator-PFL future has him thinking Olympics - MMA Junkie - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- Paris 2024: Will they regret it? >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News - Scuttlebutt Sailing News - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- Winter Olympics 2034: Blocks of Park City-area hotel rooms already essentially booked - The Park Record - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- 'Freezin' for a Reason': Special Olympics Polar Plunge to return to Buckhannon in February 2024 - My Buckhannon - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- How Suni Lee Refused to Let "Really Scary" Kidney Illness Stop Her From Returning For the 2024 Olympics - E! Online - E! NEWS - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- Exclusive: Special Olympics New York calls on Hochul to increase funding ahead of program cuts - WXXI News - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles, and Sunisa Lee: Can USA Gymnastics have its own 'Dream Team' at Paris 2024? - Olympics - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- Olympics 2024: Event rider Ros Canter aiming for glory in Paris - BBC.com - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- Jamaica's surf healer Imani Wilmot taps into ocean forces to empower women - Olympics - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- Usain Bolt: My 200m world record will be broken before 100m - Olympics - December 27th, 2023 [December 27th, 2023]
- USA Basketball womens and mens 33 programs qualify for 2024 Olympics - The Athletic - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- IOC says its Olympic ban on Russia cannot be compared with Israel situation - Japan Today - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Diosdado and Jimnez win gold and secure their spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics - Insidethegames.biz - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- LeBron James and Anthony Davis should forget about the 2024 Olympics - LeBron Wire - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- What could Team USA look like at the 2024 Olympics? - Hoops Hype - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- Team USA: LeBron James' Olympics recruitment has fans going wild - ClutchPoints - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- Gay rower Robbie Manson just qualified for the Olympics while still updating his OnlyFans page - Queerty - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- LeBron James Recruiting Stars To Play In Paris Olympics - RealGM.com - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- Roundup: Mel Tucker Responds to Allegations; LeBron Wants to Play in the 2024 Olympics; Aaron Rodgers Injured - The Big Lead - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- Episcopal Academy graduate Ashley Sessa has her sights set on the Olympics - The Philadelphia Inquirer - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- Thompson: To rule the Olympics, Team USA needs to call in The Avengers - The Athletic - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- LeBron James to Lead Superstar Roster for the 2024 Olympics - Yahoo Life - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- LeBron James reportedly wants to play in one more Olympics, and he's already recruiting - Yahoo Sports - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- USA Basketball: LeBron James leads projected roster for 2024 Olympics - For The Win - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- LeBron James, Stephen Curry favorites to play for Team USA in 2024 Olympics - ClutchPoints - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- Special Olympics as Beth-el - The Reformed Journal Blog - Reformed Journal - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- Watch Peyton Manning Prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympics with a ... - PEOPLE - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- Exclusive - Olympic champion Janja Garnbret speaks out on eating ... - Olympics - September 13th, 2023 [September 13th, 2023]
- What Could The USWNT Look Like At The 2024 Summer Olympics? - UPROXX - August 20th, 2023 [August 20th, 2023]
- Don't Miss the UP Pasty Olympics in Calumet! - Awesome Mitten - August 20th, 2023 [August 20th, 2023]
- Water quality concerns halt Paris Olympics swimming test in the Seine - TheJournal.ie - August 20th, 2023 [August 20th, 2023]
- Paris Olympics swimming test event cancelled over water quality fears - Yahoo News UK - August 20th, 2023 [August 20th, 2023]
- John Devitt, Champion Swimmer With a Tarnished Gold Medal, Dies at 86 - The New York Times - August 20th, 2023 [August 20th, 2023]
- Expect a lot of players from this year's Team USA to be back for Paris Olympics - Yahoo Sports - August 20th, 2023 [August 20th, 2023]
- Emotions run high as Morgan Pearson ends 'whirlwind day' with a place at Paris Olympics - TRI247 - August 20th, 2023 [August 20th, 2023]
- On This Day, 2008: Rafael Nadal captures gold medal at Beijing Olympics - Tennis Magazine - August 20th, 2023 [August 20th, 2023]
- India Ends Olympics Pre-Qualifying Campaign with loss to Bahrain - Ekalavyas - August 20th, 2023 [August 20th, 2023]
- Olympic Triathlon Test Event: A huge success for athletes, a boost of ... - Olympics - August 20th, 2023 [August 20th, 2023]
- Paris Olympics swimming test event cancelled over water quality fears - Euronews - August 20th, 2023 [August 20th, 2023]
- Gender inequality will still be an issue at the Paris 2024 Olympics ... - The Conversation Indonesia - August 20th, 2023 [August 20th, 2023]
- Grant Holloway exclusive: On 'running free' at Budapest 2023 and ... - Olympics - August 20th, 2023 [August 20th, 2023]
- Minnesota Sports and Events has major announcement next week - Star Tribune - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- IOC call IBA's bluff over future without Olympics, but boxing on LA28 programme - Insidethegames.biz - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Garden Theatre gets new leaders with Disney, Olympics experience - Orlando Sentinel - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Cone frank about Gilas' World Cup chances, says goal is to qualify for Paris Olympics - Rappler - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- 2028 Summer Olympics could be coming to OKC Riversport, decision coming soon - City-sentinel - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Gay Olympic Rower Robbie Manson Joins OnlyFans - Star Observer - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Olympic-quality athletics arrives one year early in Paris - AW - Athletics Weekly - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Day for champions: Hundreds cheer on Special Olympics at SUNY - Evening Observer - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- IOC Coordination Commission chair says Paris 2024 will stage new Olympics - Insidethegames.biz - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- TCU baseball fans donated more than $23k to Special Olympics Indiana - For The Win - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- University of Minnesota Athletics - GopherSports.com - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Paris 2024 Olympic Headquarters Stormed By French Pension Protesters - SwimSwam - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Special Olympics 2023 'Flame of Hope' Lit in Athens - Greek Reporter - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Olympic Gymnasts Jordyn Wieber & Chris Brooks Tie the Knot in Arkansas Wedding - Just Jared Jr. - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- 2023 NYS Special Olympics Games This Weekend In Ithaca And Vestal - wnbf.com - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Local Special Olympics Athletes Set to Ignite the Summer Games - Eagle 99.3 FM WSCH - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Washington Co. deputy to carry the torch in 2023 Special Olympic World Games - KARE11.com - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Missing the Captain Kyle Busch - Fans Demand Exclusion of Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson in NASCAR ... - The Sportsrush - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Special Olympics Delaware moving forward with Summer Games ... - 1150AM/101.7FM WDEL - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- "If I Make the Olympics, I'll Retire at the Olympics." Surf Legend Kelly Slater Will Be ... - Latest Tweet - LatestLY - February 24th, 2023 [February 24th, 2023]
- The US should insist that Russian and Belarusian athletes be banned from the 2024 Olympics - The Hill - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- Belarus coach who removed sprinter from Olympics charged - January 22nd, 2023 [January 22nd, 2023]
- Milano Cortina 2026: Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games - January 22nd, 2023 [January 22nd, 2023]
- 6 individuals from the Carolinas to participate in Special Olympics World Games in Berlin - WCNC.com - January 22nd, 2023 [January 22nd, 2023]
- Olympic Games | History, Locations, & Winners | Britannica - January 19th, 2023 [January 19th, 2023]
- Im Still in Therapy: Simone Biles Breaks Silence on Paris Olympics Appearance - EssentiallySports - January 19th, 2023 [January 19th, 2023]
- Course work on campus | The Culinary Olympics return to UConn - FOX61 Hartford - January 10th, 2023 [January 10th, 2023]
- Germany May Go After An Olympics That Could Coincide With The 100th Anniversary Of The Hitler Games - Sports Talk Florida - December 28th, 2022 [December 28th, 2022]