Ella Williams

EVENT: Surfing, Individual Women

At 8, Ella wrote on a surfing poster that she wanted to be world champion and put it on a wall beside her bed.

In 2013, she became the first and only New Zealander to win the women’s world junior championships, having received a wildcard into the event.

She was taught to surf at four by her parents. She lives in Whangamata and when she is not competing Ella works at the family surf shop.

Ella qualified for Tokyo by placing as the first Oceania female at the World Surfing Games in 2019.