Isabella Nichols achieved a significant career milestone by winning her first major surfing victory at Bells Beach, defeating young star Luana Silva in the final. Earlier this month, Nichols faced a tough choice, missing her twin sister's wedding to pursue glory in El Salvador, which she deemed the biggest sacrifice of her life. After earlier losses, her determination paid off as she secured the title with a dominant performance, scoring 16.26 points. Nichols reflected on her 15-year journey in the sport, expressing disbelief and gratitude for the achievement, especially after considering quitting to pursue other career goals.
"The process for this win has honestly been a 15-year process. I've been coming here since I was 15 years old. All the trips down here, three times a year to come down and work on my technique and it's all paid off."
"To have a bell, honestly this does not feel real. I'm speechless."
"I made the agonising choice not to attend my twin sister's wedding and shoot for surfing glory instead. It was the biggest sacrifice of my life."
"Now Nichols, who was on the cusp of quitting the sport in 2023 to focus on engineering studies and building wave pools, has her revenge."
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