Gabriel Medina is back, and he’s better than ever before. Photo: WSL
No main sponsor, a possible new board partner, a new coach… among all the questions swirling around Gabriel Medina, one stands out: how will the three-time world champion arrive physically for the 2026 Championship Tour season opener at Bells Beach?
The question carries even more weight given the recent context. Medina underwent surgery in January 2025, sidelining him for the entire previous CT season. He returned to surfing in May, but since then hasn’t competed officially. His last serious competition was back in August 2024 in Fiji. By the time he paddles out in Australia, it will have been nearly a year and seven months without wearing a jersey.
To understand how he is approaching this return, we spoke with Allan Menache, Medina’s strength and conditioning coach since 2014 — the year of his first world title — and a key figure in shaping the athlete we know today. According to Allan, the preparation was meticulously planned to fit Medina’s intense schedule while keeping consistency intact.
“Our pre-season, focused on Bells Beach, started in January,” Menache explained. “Even with some breaks due to commercial commitments and personal trips, we were able to follow a three-month program that worked perfectly. We completed 25 joint training sessions, aside from physiotherapy and other solo workouts. It was a very intense period, and I was very satisfied with the results.”
The numbers and tests back that up. Evaluations at the start of the year, and later at the Brazilian Olympic Committee, showed top-level physical performance. The final stage of preparation took place in Maresias, designed to push him out of his comfort zone and simulate the mental pressure of competition.
“I took him out of his comfort zone, to trigger in his mind that it’s time,” Menache continued. “It was two very intense weeks, he handled it very well, and he’s ready.”
At 32, another question naturally arises: is Gabby still at his physical peak? Allan doesn’t hesitate, pointing to both perception and test results.
If Gabby wasn’t already at his peak, competitors should be worried. Photo: WSL
“Gabriel is at his peak,” he said. “He feels it, he shows it, and we confirm it in our tests. He’s far from any decline. He has reached a level of maturity that enhances performance. After the natural dip in 2022, due to everything he went through off the water, he’s been on an upward trend since 2023 and performed very well in 2024. Now he returns in a great condition: ideal weight, strong, resilient, and with a very solid mindset.”
And mental readiness is another key factor in this comeback. After turbulent periods in his career, the current scenario appears as balanced as ever.
“He’s happy, motivated, in love,” Menache saide. “The environment around him is favorable, everything flows. He’s trained, confident, with all the conditions. Ready to focus on just one thing: competing.”
Medina’s career longevity also speaks volumes. He debuted on the CT as a wildcard in 2010 and, from 2011, competed continuously at the elite level for a decade. He participated in 100 consecutive Championship Tour events, including the WSL Finals, until he took his first break in 2022 to focus on his mental health — a streak that highlights a consistency few can match.
Adding another layer to the project is the inclusion of Adriano de Souza in Medina’s team. A former world champion and one of surfing’s most consistent competitors, Mineirinho brings strategic insight and experience.
“When I learned about the partnership, I knew it couldn’t be better,” Menache said. “Adriano brings competitive rationality from someone who has won against all odds. He’s extremely focused and professional. When they were in São Paulo, they spent a week concentrating solely on in-water training, surfing in the pool, avoiding physical fatigue, just to evaluate Medina and provide the first guidance.”
The connection carries symbolic weight too. Adriano won at Bells Beach in 2013, while Medina has never captured the traditional Australian title. His best result there so far was a third in 2018, never reaching the final.
Now, with a new setup around him and, by all indications, in the best physical and mental shape of his career, the final question lingers: is this the year Gabriel Medina finally learns the way to Bells Beach victory, getting a head start in pursuit of his fourth world title?
