How a handsome Brazilian surfer kid became a grand villain

By Derek Rielly
Updated August 28 2014 - 3:23pm, first published 1:06pm
Gabriel Medina is about to become Brazil's first world surfing champion.
Gabriel Medina is about to become Brazil's first world surfing champion.
A pre-comp wipeout at Teahupoo left one surfer with a fractured skull. Photo: Gregory Boissy
A pre-comp wipeout at Teahupoo left one surfer with a fractured skull. Photo: Gregory Boissy
Handing away priority to Kelly Slater had surfing fans second-guessing Gabriel Medina. Photo: Gregory Boissy
Handing away priority to Kelly Slater had surfing fans second-guessing Gabriel Medina. Photo: Gregory Boissy

As sporting fairytales go, this was one of the better ones. A 20-year-old Brazilian kid in a final against the greatest athlete of all time, Kelly Slater, in the most tropical splendour, Tahiti in French Polynesia. The sun shone. The waves were big.

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