Indonesian male surfer Dhanny Widianto created a surprise by eliminating Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist Italo Ferreira and Championship Tour surfer Cole Houshmand at the 2026 ISA World Surfing Games in Punta Rocas, Lima, Peru, despite being stopped in the Repechage 8 round.
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"I'm so happy to be in the same heat as Italo and Cole. It feels like I'm in the final. I'm so happy to have reached this stage," said Dhanny after the race, broadcast on the ISA Surfing channel.
Defeating two of the world's elite surfers was one of the biggest surprises in the world championship competition. According to the International Surfing Association (ISA), Dhanny recorded a best score of 8.17 points, defeating Italo Ferreira of Brazil and Cole Houshmand of the United States.
Dhanny put in an impressive performance in Repechage 7, securing first place with 14.17 points. He surpassed Italo Ferreira with 11.64 points and Cole Houshmand with 10.07 points. French surfer Jorgan Couzinet finished third with 12.87 points.
However, Dhanny stopped in Repechage 8. He finished Heat 2 in third place with 9.14 points, behind Yago Dora of Brazil with 12.43 points and Kai Odriozola of Germany with 11.53 points. Franco Radziunas of Argentina was in second place with 11.52 points.
Despite failing to progress, Dhanny's performance was a positive sign for Indonesian surfing. He not only competed but also demonstrated his ability to compete against experienced surfers at the highest level.
Dhanny strives to enjoy every opportunity to compete and showcase his best skills on the waves. He cites John John Florence and Ethan Ewing as his surfing perspective and style references.
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