Sarah Baum Is Ready For The Olympics

Sarah Baum has been on a tear! After some early-season successes in 2024, she won in J-Bay all the way from the trials. Now it’s on to the ‘Paris’ 2024 Olympic Games, which, in surfing terms, is the Teahupo’o Olympics’ in Tahiti. Aside from Pipe, there is perhaps no more fitting stage for a goofyfooter to take on the the world’s best. We caught up with Sarah ahead of the big show.

Reflecting on the build-up, and particularly the big win in J-Bay, she gets philosophical about what it took — enjoying the moment and competing without striving for rankings or prize money. “I just wanted to have fun at that event, without that pressure,” she says.

“I had one really good score,” she adds, “then I snagged that eight, and then I kind of made a few mistakes… But I caught that last wave in the last few minutes,” she recounts. This ability to generate big scores from challenging situations, and the BMT (big match temperament) to step up when it counts has bolstered her confidence as she heads into the Olympics.

I know what I need to do, I know that I can get the scores, and I need to trust my instincts and decisions.

“That sense of confidence and belief in myself, you know, that I can get scores and change my mentality if something goes wrong or if I make a wrong decision in a split second, is what I want to have going into these next few events. I need to believe in myself. Sometimes I’m pretty harsh on myself about not surfing smart heats, but in that final at J-Bay and the semi-final, I felt like I surfed really smart heats. It just goes to show that I do make smart decisions and I just need to believe in that.”

What The Olympics Mean

“In the surfing world winning a world title is a million times bigger. But, if you win a gold medal, for the rest of your life, you’re known as an Olympic Gold Medalist. Whether you retire from surfing and you’re 60 years old at a barbecue or something, being a gold medalist is huge among people who don’t surf. However, if you win a world title, people who don’t surf might just say, ‘okay, cool,’ and not think it’s that big of a deal. It’s a hard question, but I kind of just want to go into it without much expectation because I’ve never done an event like this before.”

The Proving Ground For The Olympics

Teahupo’o is frightening even at four foot but has put in the time, travelling to Tahiti earlier this year to get comfortable at the shallow reef pass. “I’ve heard so many people say how gnarly Teahupo’o really is, and I was like, yeah, yeah, okay… It 100 percent is! I’ve never experienced anything like it before in my life,” she admits.

It’s crazy. The back of the wave is completely flat, so it looks like a two-foot wave. But you know it’s just bottomed out, and it’s actually ten feet plus.

“There’s a massive spit, and surfers are coming out right next to the boats, almost having to dodge them. It’s the most crazy experience I’ve ever been in. I’m so stoked I had the opportunity to see it for myself. I even caught one or two waves, though I didn’t get any of the crazy big ones.”

For the uninitiated, it might seem strange that the Olympics are on the other side of the world when it could have been held in the backlit beach breaks of France. The decision to hold the Olympic surfing events at Teahupo’o aligns with Paris 2024’s vision of showcasing diverse and challenging environments and aligns with the pinnacle sporting event in the world’s commitment to providing a platform for all athletes to demonstrate their prowess in one of the sport’s most iconic locations.

Looking Ahead To The Olympics With Confidence

Sarah is approaching the Olympics (which starts for surfers on 27 July) with quiet confidence and a balanced mindset. She aims to enjoy the unique experience but to go out there and make it count. “I honestly just want to soak it up as much as I can… The main goal is to return with a medal, but at the end of the day, I just want to make myself proud,” she says.
A consummate professional, she has prepared physically and mentally, learning to trust her instincts and decisions. “I know that I can get the scores and trust my instincts,” she says.

We’re behind her all the way and can’t wait to watch Sarah, Matty and Jordy (hear what he has to say about the Olympics, here) step it up. Here’s to hoping for some swell.

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