John John Florence Talks Olympic Gold Ambitions (Exclusive Interview)

Flanked by his handlers, coaches, and fellow Team USA competitors, John John Florence strolls up to the Paris 2024 Olympic surfing hub in Teahupo’o, Tahiti. It’s two days before the event window starts. And judging by his uncannily serene demeanor, he looks more like a casual spectator – perhaps even a little bored – than a warrior heading into battle.

But that’s how John rolls; calm, cool, unperturbed. At least, on the outside.

“I feel really good going into the Olympics,” he tells me between photoshoots with the team. He’s sporting the Team USA gear – a preppy mix of red, white, and blue athleisure wear made by Nike and Ralph Lauren, as opposed to his typical uniform of Florence trunks and slippers.

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“It feels like it’s been such a good year so far, and I’ve accomplished what I’ve set out to do,” John, who is currently ranked number one on the Championship Tour, continues. “The choices I’ve made to get to this point feel really good. I’ve been just competing all year, surfing so many heats, and it feels really good. I feel like I’m set up well for this [the Olympics].”

And he’s not wrong. He’s been on a heater this year, competitively, one not seen since his last world title in 2017. On the CT rankings, he’s practically on another planet – a whole 10,000 points away – from the pack, and number two, who happens to be his teammate in the Paris 2024 Games, Griffin Colapinto. And at Teahupo’o? John is an obvious favorite in lefthand tubes.

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However, John admits: “At the same time, it is a contest in the ocean and you never know what’s going to happen. But it looks like we’re going to have fun waves.”

At this point in his career, there’s not much else for John to win besides an Olympic gold medal. The Eddie? Check. The world title? Double check. The Triple Crown? Quadruple check. And now, with a brand new baby back home in Hawaii, coupled with a presumed disillusionment with the whole pro surfing scene in general, a gold medal might just be the perfect sendoff.

But John would never cop to that.

“I wouldn’t say I’m capping off my career this year,” he says. “Who knows. I could be here in 2034. [Laughs.] I don’t know what it is, but I’ve just been really mentally committed this year. It’s been a really fun time in my life and my career. I just had a kid, and I’ve been going through all the experiences and challenges that come with that. I just feel really good mentally.”

Stay tuned; surfing in the Paris 2024 Olympics kicks off July, 27th, and we'll be covering it live right here on the site and on Instagram.