For surfer Kanoa Hee-jae Palmiano, Asian Games setback is just one stop on road to Olympics

NAGOYA, Japan — Kanoa Hee-jae Palmiano missed out on becoming Korea’s first Asian Games surfing medalist. But the country’s rising surfing star has not given up on his bigger ambition: reaching the Olympics.

The teen surfer’s name carries pieces of both sides of his family. His Filipino Canadian father gave him Kanoa, a Hawaiian name meaning “freedom,” and his Korean mother chose Hee-jae, which means “there is joy.”

“I love my name,” Palmiano said. “At home, everyone usually calls me Kanoa.”

His father was a paddleboard surfer, so the ocean was a constant presence in Palmiano’s childhood. Before long, young Palmiano was following his own path as a surfer.

Palmiano’s talent did not go unnoticed abroad. Canada and the Philippines both had him on their radar, and either route offered training benefits as well as an escape from Korea’s military conscription.

He still chose Korea, even though that meant accepting the prospect of military service. The decision was straightforward.

“I’m Korean, and Korea is where I live,” the surfer said.

He is equally unfazed by the attention surrounding his multicultural roots.

“I just focus on what I have to do,” he said.

The ocean is where surfers learn their craft. Palmiano also uses artificial wave pools, but he frequently travels abroad to train. Financing those trips is no small task. His mother provides for the family while his father serves as something of a coach.

Now a high school senior, Palmiano has turned to homeschooling so he can devote more time to surfing.

“I try to train as much as possible, so I study at home,” Palmiano said. “I’ve fallen way behind with my schoolwork because of the Asian Games.”

His schedule leaves little time for friends his age, but he has few complaints. “I’m always traveling, surfing and meeting new people, which is great.”

Palmiano arrived at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 with medal ambitions as surfing made its debut as an official event, but his run ended in the quarterfinals. Surfers are scored on the combined total of their two best rides.

Palmiano managed only five attempts compared with 10 for the Philippines’ Jayuard Alciso. The Korean surfer posted the higher single-wave score at 6.17, but his final ride earned just 1.07. Alciso combined scores of 5.83 and 4.93 for 10.76 points, well clear of Palmiano’s 7.24.

His inexperience ultimately caught up with him. “He has been riding waves since childhood, but he did not have as much competition experience as his seasoned opponent,” said Song Min, the national team coach and a director at the Korea Surfing Association. Palmiano agreed with what Song said.

“I waited too long for a good wave and got started too late,” Palmiano said. “That made it tough.”

“If I had landed that last move, it would have been enough, so it’s really disappointing that I fell,” Palmiano said. “My father told me I did well, but I’m still disappointed. I didn’t get to show everything I can do. I prepared for this for a long time, and I didn’t reach my goal.”

The title ultimately went to another Kanoa, Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi. The Tokyo Olympic silver medalist won gold and secured qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. “He’s someone I respect a lot, and I’m disappointed I missed the opportunity to go up against him,” Palmiano said.

There are still other routes to the Olympics.

Securing a quota spot through the World Surfing Games will be difficult, but the 2028 edition offers another path if Palmiano finishes as the highest-ranked Asian surfer.

“Missing out on Asian Games gold hurts, but I’m determined to earn my Olympic ticket,” he said.

BY KIM HYO-KYOUNG [[email protected]]