Gabriel Medina Injured, Withdraws From Start Of WSL Season

Aside from a knee injury in 2022, and a break from competition for his mental health in the same year, Medina has been healthy and strong throughout his competitive career. This injury, described as a pectoral tear, came as he landed awkwardly after launching a full rotation.

The clip in his shows him emerging from the barrel and then boosting the air and landing with the board under his feet but with his upper body off balance. He placed his left arm down to try and stabilize and recover but you can see that the force of his landing created a lot of torque on that arm and pulled it back aggressively as he moved away from the wave.

His injury definitely shakes things up for the upcoming WSL season as Medina had been looking in top form both physically and mentally. His rivalry with John John Florence was bound to be as exciting as ever considering both athletes are eyeing their 4th World Title. Depending on how this plays out, his spot on the tour could either go to Ian Gentil or Al Cleland Jr.

Medina's return to the tour after his break in 2022 showed a clear transformation in his approach to the sport and fellow competitors. The injury could leave him sidelined for a majority, if not all, of the 2025 season. He is undoubtedly one of the best surfers to put on a jersey and we wish him a speedy recovery.

In Portuguese he wrote, "Everything happens the way it must happen."