Tommy Gibney is working to make the U.S. Virgin Islands famous in the sport of surfing. This weekend, Gibney and his team are taking part in a big surfing competition in Puerto Rico. This is the last time they can try to get a place in the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Gibney is 27 years old and comes from St. John. On his team are Cody Merritt who is 26 years old and Ocean Petersen who is 39 years old. Both Merritt and Petersen come from St. Thomas.
There are two ways the U.S. Virgin Islands team can get a chance to go to the Olympics. One is by doing very well as a team in the competition. The other way is getting chosen by a special group from the Olympic Committee.
Even with these chances, the team needs to do well in the competition. Gibney says surfing can be hard and random. You have to be good, make smart choices and not get scared. Merritt says it’s important to have fun and not take things too seriously. Petersen, who is new to the team, says not letting the pressure get to you is important. He says you should act like you’re just having a good time with friends.
Vocabulary List:
- Surfing (noun): The sport of riding on a wave while standing or lying on a special board.
- Competition (noun): A contest between individuals or groups to determine the best performer.
- Olympics (noun): A major international sports competition held once every four years.
- Committee (noun): A group of people appointed for a specific function, typically consisting of members of a larger group.
- Pressure (noun): The force exerted by something or someone on an object.
- Scared (adjective): Afraid; frightened.
