Kauai surfer credits hometown after winning silver at Olympic Games

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - On Kauai, surfer Tatiana Weston-Webb was honored Wednesday morning after winning silver at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

The Hanalei native surfed for Team Brazil.

“I could always tell how much my community cared about me and pushed me to be a better surfer and I think that mutual respect and understanding that we have in the water here especially in Kauai not for the people around us but for our island is something I’ll never ever, ever take for granted,” said Weston-Webb.

Mayor Derek Kawakami presented her with a proclamation saying she showed resilience despite Tahiti’s challenging wave conditions.

“I’d be remised if I didn’t mention the trailblazers and pioneers of the surfing world that represented Kauai and really helped carve that path for the young people like Tatiana and the next generation,” said Kawakami.

Webb added, “Kauai is a place that I will always cherish dearly in my heart, it’s my home, it’s what honed me to be a professional surfer to this day and I know that the future of Kauai surfers is in great hands with these guys around me and I’m sure there’s going to be many, many amazing surfers to come in the future.”