Kiwi surfer Ella Williams has provisionally qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The 24-year-old secured her spot as leading Oceania surfer at the ISA World Surfing Games in Miyazaki, Japan, on Sunday (NZT).
Williams will be part of an exclusive group of 20 female surfers from around the world who will attend the first-ever Olympic surfing event in July next year.
"It has definitely been a big high of emotions, especially when I found out that I had claimed a spot in the 2020 Olympics," she said.
"It’s always been a dream of mine to be there, now it’s becoming a reality.
"I feel so proud to be a Kiwi and to represent New Zealand on the world stage."
Williams convincingly won two heats to progress to the all-important round five - the top 30 surfers in the event.
Her rollercoaster day ended there, after getting caught inside the break with solid 1.5-2m typhoon waves hammering the coastline.
She finished fourth in the heat and 29th equal overall.
The International Surfing Association took several hours after Williams' result to confirm she had provisionally qualified.
Fellow Kiwi Paige Hareb has three remaining events on the 2019 World Tour to push her cause for qualification.
The 2020 World Surfing Games early next year is the final opportunity for athletes to qualify.
That event takes precedence over the 2019 edition, meaning two good performances by Kiwi surfers could still bump Williams out of her Oceania slot.
Newshub.
