Hiroto OHHARA

Hiroto Ohhara was right in the mix for a medal at Tokyo 2020, before losing out to eventual champion Italo Ferreira, and finishing fifth.

The 24-year-old burst onto the scene at just 19, and according to Wavelength, is perhaps best known for declaring that he would use his prize money to ‘get some cars’ in the wake of his emphatic US Open win in 2015.

The performance itself was dubbed something of a fairy tale run from the newbie by JS, with his ‘lightning-fast rail work and an incredible aerial strike rate’ on everyone's lips as he announced himself to the world.

Not only was it the dream surf, but it was sprinkled in history as went onto become the first Japanese surfer to ever in the QS 10,000.

It couldn’t have gone much better for Ohhara, who explains how much surfing means to him in an interview with Colours Mag.

“Surfing is everything, it’s my life. It’s something that I’ve always enjoyed, going into ocean is my habit now. Being in the water, feeling the waves makes me feel alive.”