Why this surfer is switching allegiance from Australia to Japan in search of Olympic success

Connor O'Leary says that growing up in Cronulla he kept his Japanese heritage to himself. Now the professional surfer hopes to represent his mother's homeland at the 2024 Olympic Games after an official transfer of allegiance.

PUNTA ROCA, LA LIBERTAD, EL SALVADOR - JUNE 10: Connor O'Leary of Australia after surfing in Heat 5 of the Opening Round at the Surf City El Salvador Pro on June 10, 2023 at Punta Roca, La Libertad, El Salvador. Credit: Aaron Hughes/World Surf League via Getty Images

Key Points

• Connor O'Leary is a pro-surfer, currently ranked 11th in the world
• His mother is a former Japanese surfing champion
• O'Leary has made an official transfer from Australia to Japan, hoping to represent the country at the 2024 Olympic Games

Connor O’Leary has made an official transfer from Australia to Japan, the Japan Surfing Federation revealed on 23 August.

O'Leary, 29, currently represents Australia in the World Surf League (WSL), but made the application to transfer his allegiance to Japan to the International Surfing Association (ISA) on 5 June and it has been formally accepted.

The surfer, who currently ranks 11th in the world, was born to a Japanese mother and an Australian father, growing up in the Sydney suburb of Cronulla.

The transfer means O'Leary is the most likely candidate to lock in Japan's final spot in the men's surfing for the 2024 Paris Games, pending results in the ISA World Surfing Games in February 2024.

O’Leary first revealed his hopes of representing Japan at the Olympics in an interview with SBS Japanese in late May alongside his mother, Akemi Karasawa, a former Japanese surfing champion.

WSL Surfer Connor O'Leary and his mother Akemi Karasawa at SBS in Sydney, 20 May 2023 Credit: Yusuke Oba

Now that the news has been made official, the pair say they are happy and relieved.

"To be able to qualify for Australia would be great as well, but with where I am at in my career, [representing Japan is] such a great way to expand my horizon," O’Leary told SBS Japanese.

Karasawa also expressed her joy at the announcement.

"Many Japanese fans have supported Connor throughout his career, so to be able to represent these people would be great," she said.

O'Leary is looking forward to leading Japan's young generation of surfers.

"There are many young talents coming up in Japan, and I hope to be that surfer they look up to, as there is really just have Kanoa (Igarashi, current world No. 14) at the moment," says O'Leary.

'I just wanted to fit in'

However, O’Leary said he has not always been upfront about his mixed heritage.

Growing up in Cronulla, O’Leary said he was not an "overly confident kid" who was able to be open about his Japanese background.

I spent lot of times as a kid, putting my Japanese heritage behind me to try and fit in with the Australian culture and fit in at school.

Connor O'Leary

"I just wanted to fit in and didn’t want to have any problem with anyone or have any reason for anyone to say anything. So, I spent a lot of time trying not to be as Japanese as I could."

His mother added, "We weren't hiding our Japanese heritage, but we kept it low-profile."

"Inside our house, he was Japanese, but when outside, an Aussie."

But change came with maturity, said O’Leary.

As I have grown older, I’ve matured and realised being multicultural is something so special. How cool is it to be Australian but also Japanese, and I just want to highlight that.

Connor O'Leary

Surfing fans around the world saw a glimpse of this change in 2021 when O’Leary first placed a Japanese flag on his jersey alongside the Australian flag, a move which was approved by the ISA.

When the world tour was cancelled due to COVID in 2020, O'Leary had the time to reflect on his journey so far, including his heritage.

The opportunity to be featured in the Disney+ original series “Chasing Waves” (released January 2023), which shed light on Japan's unique surfing culture, also allowed him to reflect on who he is.

“Japanese culture is in me. I am half Japanese. I have such a great base of fan, friends and family over there. Why not represent Japan and Australia at the highest level?”

The Paris Games

Teahupo’o, on the southwestern coast of Tahiti, French Polynesia, has been selected to host the surfing for the Paris Games.

Teahupo’o is not only known for its monstrous waves, which measure as high as seven metres, but its big barrels, heavy drops and shallow reef below, all of which make it a very challenging location.

However, O'Leary is known to ride big waves, and the left-hand break of Teahupo'o is expected to give the 'goofy footer' an added advantage.

Tha Paris Games will kick off on 26 July 2024, with surfing scheduled between 27 and 29 July.

Credit: Yusuke Oba

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