Gabriel Medina, the Paris 2024 bronze medallist and the defending champion of the ISA World Surfing Games, has undergone surgery after suffering a pectoral injury, which could sideline him for most of the 2025 surfing season.
The Brazilian surfer tore the pectoral muscle in his left shoulder on 9 January while surfing in Maresias, near Sao Paulo, and underwent surgery on 11 January.
“Everything went well and we are already looking at the recovery period and next steps,” Medina posted on his Instagram together with a photo of him in a hospital bed. “I was preparing and very focused for the 2025 season, but unfortunately I will be out for a while. I will now focus on my recovery to come back stronger!”
Breno Schor, the doctor who performed the surgery, told the media earlier that Medina will need six to eight months before he can return to competition. This would rule the two-time Olympian out for the first half of the season, which may include the ISA World Surfing Games. Dates for the annual event have not yet been announced.
“The surgery was successful and we were able to reconstruct the tendon properly,” Schor told the media. “After the initial recovery period, Gabriel will begin intensive physiotherapy sessions and should be able to return to training in four to six months and to competition in six to eight months.”
