Olympic qualification ‘extra fuel’ on mission to defend WSL world title

Success and the mental weight of responsiblity

The family was close at hand as Toledo’s surfing career took off. His mother prepared his meals while his father coached him and travelled with him to competitions – a role he maintains to this day.

It was a family-centred strategy that worked.

Toledo entered the Championship Tour in 2013, at the age of 17. In his second season at the elite pro level he finished among the Top 5 in three stages. He started his third season with his first-ever Championship Tour event victory, adding another two wins over the next stages.

In 2022, Toledo’s efforts culminated in a world title, which also earned him a nomination for the Laureus Action Sportsperson of the Year Award.

With success, the pressure also grew and Toledo found himself struggling with his new relationship to the sport. No longer just a kid enjoying surfing, the 28-year-old athlete was overwhelmed with his growing list of responsibilities, which included taking care of his wife and two children.

“I always kept a kid spirit in surfing, always very light and calm, without worrying about things too much. But there comes a time in life when things start to get more serious,” Toledo said. “Even for me, the family, me with children and wife, my father and mother, it is a matter of responsibility because we take care of those we love. I had this desire in my heart to always help my family as they always supported me and always did everything for me to be a professional surfer.”

When the pressures of competition, sponsorship obligations, and lengthy separations from his family while on the road got too much for Toledo, he reached out to a psychologist.

“Nowadays there are thousands of opportunities for you to work on this. And that’s what I did. I tried to evolve and to improve, to get it all out,” the surfer said. “I think mental work definitely comes first.”

In addition to working with mental health professionals, Toledo now incorporates several practices that help the mindset into his training routine, such as yoga and prayer.