QCOSTARICA – It was a race against time for Costa Rican surfer, Carlos ‘Cali’ Muñoz, to make it through the Zurqui, to get to the San Jose airport for his flight to the Tokyo Olympics.
After hours of anguish due to inclement weather conditions that has affected road conditions, that included the closure of the Ruta 32, a police escort allowed Muñoz to arrive at the Juan Santamaría airport on time, and before 7 am to board the flight to Los Angeles, to connect on Japan Airlines to Tokyo.
“Cali”, who is the 14th Costa Rican to compete in his Olympiad, did everything he could and with the support of other people and entities, to get on that plane.
Now he just waits for the delay in the start of surfing to be confirmed, due to bad weather in Japan.
“Super exciting news, out of time, because I was thinking about something else. But I am very happy with this opportunity,” assured Cali through his communication agency, Content Lab.
Muñoz learned that he could participate in the Tokyo 2020 event at 9:09 pm Friday night.
All became possible with the help of the Costa Rican Surf Federation coordinating with the Comité Olímpico Nacional de Costa Rica (CON) – National Olympic Committee of Costa Rica, which carried out the pertinent steps to try to achieve the desired presence of ‘Cali’ in Tokyo.
But the bad weather hitting the Caribbean since Thursday night meant overcoming the first challenge, getting to the airport, but first to get his negative PCR covid test to enter the US, albeit in transit.
The possibility of Muños competing occurred when Portuguese surfer Frederico Morais, tested positive for Covid-19 and will not be able to participate.
The surfing tests are to start this Sunday, July 25, (Tokyo time) but a typhoon is expected to delay the start of the first or second round.
“The Costa Rican will not be disqualified if he does not compete in that first stage, but he needs to have a delay for the second round and he can compete. Despite the risk, the CON decided to take it and guarantee Muñoz’s presence in Tokyo,” the CON explained.
“Cali”, on his arrival in Japan, will be the third Tico in surfing, along with Leilani McGonagle and Brissa Hennessy.
