World surf champion Mineirinho carries Olympic torch in home town, sets sights on Tokyo 2020 gold
If International Olympic Committee meeting in Rio confirms inclusion of surfing in the Games, Adriano de Souza plans to win inaugural gold for Brazil
Known as 'Mineirinho', Adriano de Souza is looking forward to the chance of representing his country at Tokyo 2020
Reigning World Surf League champion Adriano de Souza, 'Mineirinho', carried the Olympic torch in his home town of Guarujá on Friday (22 July), the 81st day of the Rio 2016 Olympic Torch Relay.
"I came back to Brazil just to participate in the relay," he said. "I am so happy everything worked out. It's a great honour to carry the torch."
For his leg of the relay, the 29-year-old carried the torch in a small boat from the city of Santos across a narrow channel to his birthplace of Guarujá.
The athlete has been among the world's surfing elite for more than 10 years. Last year, he triumphed in a prestigious pipeline competition in Hawai to win the 2015 World Surf League.
"To be the first Brazilian to win the pipeline stage and to win the world title on the same day is something that I will keep in my heart forever," he said.
Big wave surfing legend Carlos Burle carries Rio 2016 Olympic Torch across home waters
Hometown hero Mineirinho was accompanied by canoeists and devotees of stand-up paddle on his way to Guarujá (Photo: Rio 2016/Marcos de Paula)
Tokyo dreaming
In four years' time, Mineirinho may get the chance to claim an even greater prize than the world championship.
If the full session of the International Olympic Committee, which will meet in August in Rio, confirms the decision of the executive board, then surfing will be one of five sports to join the Olympic Games at Tokyo 2020. If he keeps up his current form over the coming years, Mineirinho will be one of the favourites for winning surfing's very first Olympic gold.
"An Olympic medal is missing in my career," he said on Friday. "I hope that in 2020 it won't be missing anymore. I am already imagining myself putting on my country's lycra and fighting for a podium place.
"Surfing is an individual sport and there are no competitions where you can represent your country. That could happen at the Olympic Games. For every surfer it is a dream."
While surfing is not on the programme for Rio 2016, Mineirinho will be following the superstars of this year's Olympic Games closely.
"I want to watch the American basketball team, the Brazilian football team, Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps," he said. "I think we are going to have really cool Games."
Mineirinho could be one of Brazil's biggest gold medal hopes at Tokyo 2020 (Photo: Rio 2016/Marcos de Paula)
