World champion in 2017, and on the path to a second world title, Pauline Ado, surfer for Team ENGIE, qualified for the Olympics this weekend. As such, the Basque surfer will represent France in the first edition of this discipline in the Olympics. She joins Jérémy Florès, Michel Bourez and Johanne Defay, the three French surfers who have already qualified.
Despite a first-round elimination, Pauline gave it her all during the World championships, making it all the way to the 8th round of repechage and defeating her competition for the last spot on the French team. Well done Pauline!
Her initial reaction: “I waited for the results by the edge of the water - I knew that I had made it to the next round. But I had no idea if I had qualified. We still had some doubt. When Fernando Aguerre, Chairman of the International Surfing Association, came to announce the good news in person, it was unbelievable. The emotional pressure has been very strong, and it still is. It hasn’t quite sunk in yet. It’s still very recent. I’m projecting myself a little bit, but it’s been such a long process, with such a challenging final week that it’s hard to relax right away.
Pauline therefore joins the other Team ENGIE members who have officially qualified: Madeleine Malonga (Judo < 78 kg), Cassandre Beaugrand (Triathlon), Luka Mkheidze (Judo < 60 kg), Fabien Lamirault (Para table tennis), François Pervis and Raphaël Beaugillet (Para-cycling -Tandem cycling).
We will all be supporting her as of 25 July!
Team ENGIE: sharing our energy!