Ella Williams facts for kids

Ella Williams (born 13 January 1995) is a talented surfer from Whangamatā, New Zealand. When she was 18, she became a junior world champion in Florianópolis, Brazil. She competed in the first-ever shortboard surfing competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Ella Williams' Early Life and Surfing Journey

Growing Up with Waves

Ella Williams was born in 1995. She grew up in a family that loved surfing. Her parents, Dean and Janine, even owned a surf shop! Ella started surfing when she was just four years old in Raglan.

First Competitions and Big Dreams

She entered her first surfing competition at age six. She competed in the under-12 category, even though she was much younger. When Ella was seven, her family moved to Whangamatā. This town on the Coromandel Peninsula is famous for its great surfing waves. In 2002, her family took over the local surf shop there.

At eight years old, Ella wrote a big goal on a surf poster. She wanted to be a world champion! She hung it by her bed to see it every morning. By the time she was 14, Ella started winning competitions. She even beat many of the boys she was competing against.

Becoming a World Champion

Unexpected Opportunity in Brazil

Ella was not originally supposed to go to the World Junior Championship in 2013. She was just outside the top rankings. But then, an Australian surfer named Ellie-Jean Coffey had to pull out due to an injury. This gave Ella a chance! With only ten days' notice, Ella traveled to Brazil.

Winning the World Title

In the final competition, Ella faced Brazilian surfer Tatiana Weston-Webb. Ella surfed incredibly well and won the world title! It was a huge achievement for her. The next year, Ella became a professional surfer.

Competing on the World Stage

Olympic Dreams Come True

Ella continued to compete at a high level. At the 2019 ISA World Surfing Games, she earned a spot for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. This was a provisional qualification, meaning it was a strong step towards competing. New Zealand had two spots for both men and women surfers.

Representing New Zealand

Ella proudly represented New Zealand at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The surfing competition was a new event for the Olympics, making her participation even more special. She was part of history as surfing made its debut.

Health and Decisions

In 2021, there was a lot of talk about athletes getting vaccinated for COVID-19. Ella initially had some questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. However, after thinking about it and getting more information, she decided to get vaccinated. This allowed her to compete safely at the Olympics.