They say practice makes perfect, but when Jordy Smith gets artistic with the waves, one has to wonder what he does to make it work.
Western Cape, South Africa (26 May 2021) – Now that surfing has officially been introduced to the Olympic games this year, Red Bull athlete and Surfer, Jordy Smith will be representing SA for the very first time, alongside 18 other athletes at the Tokyo Olympics in July.
Despite disruptions from the pandemic over the last year, Smith managed to secure a spot for the Olympics through The World Surf League Champion Tour in 2020. As a first-time Olympic competitor, he shares personal and professional insight as to what his game plan is for his upcoming trip to Japan.
Straight from the surfer’s mouth
The news of the Tokyo Olympic Games delay had been met with some reactions. However, Smith’s response to the delay didn’t seem to impact the Surfer much at all. He claims that it’s given him a chance to prepare so that he can give it his best shot.
They say practice makes perfect, but when Smith’s getting artistic with the waves, one has to wonder what he does to make it work. It has a lot to do with the fact that he has put a lot of thought into the Olympics and how competing in the WSL tour had a positive impact on his form. It kept him in his competitive mindset, and as long as there are no long gaps in between competing, once the Olympics come around, it becomes second nature. His flair for a competitive mindset comes with his travel partner, his surfboard. Smith mentions that he makes sure to research and test all types of boards and equipment to get him ready. He was able to fine-tune a lot of the equipment made for his trip to Japan, and while there are a few backups that he’s bringing along, Smith’s certain that he has got his surf “weapon” ready.
When it does come down to prepping, he shares some detail about his nutritional preparation. Smith tends to stick to his normal meat and potatoes during the week and uses the extra time at home to experiment.
With that, he says, “I try to control everything that I can and anything that gets me ready for that moment.”
With the extra attention that will inevitably take surfing by storm, what does this mean for the local surfing scene? Smith hopes that the addition of surfing in the Summer Olympics line up will do good things for the surfing community.
He says, “I think the most important thing for me is to try to inspire somebody and to try to turn their life around in a positive way, if you can do that, you’ve done your job.”
In his last bit of preparation, he is certain that it’s really all about technique; it’s all about how he manages his opponents, his heats, and making sure his equipment is as good as it can get. The main component he believes in so strongly is that “you’ve got to believe in yourself, to put your best foot forward and give it everything you’ve got.” With that, Smith’s expectations of what’s coming amounts to a lot of experience, and having that experience and knowledge is what he will be taking to Tokyo.
Weekend Sport: The Big Events You Don’t Want to Miss
South Africa’s Deaf Rugby Team Sets Sights on Tokyo Medal
by 
