After two high-scoring rounds in the Paris Olympics, Mexico’s Alan Jorge Cleland Quiñonez is out after losing round three on Monday.
“It was an honor,” said Cleland Quiñonez, talking to local reporters in Tahiti. “The most important thing was I was able to represent my flag and show that Mexico has great talent.”
Cleland Quiñonez was born in Boca de Pascuales in Colima off Mexico’s west coast, where townspeople and friends watched intensely to see Mexico’s best hope for an Olympic medal in surfing.
Paris Olympics
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“He is a force to be reckoned with,” said Alan Cleland Sr., who spoke with NBC4 via Zoom from Tahiti ahead of his son’s round three competition. “He has got a lot of talent, dedication and it just shows he is pretty gnarly at what he does.”
Cleland Sr. said his son started surfing at 4 years old in the small fishing village in Mexico.
“He really took a liking to surfing … He seemed pretty advanced for his age,” said Cleland Sr.
By age 12, Cleland Quiñonez was already representing Mexico in international competitions. Last year, he won Gold in the ISA World Surfing Games.
He may have gotten his skills from his father, who was born in Los Angeles and grew up in San Diego. Cleland Sr. became a well-known surfer in the 1980s and 90s, when he graced the cover of Surfing magazine in 1987 before he moved to Colima to surf.
Cleland Quiñonez’s mother, who was from Colima, passed away when the young surfer was 17. He posted a photo of her on Instagram, writing “Miss you mom. It’s been a hard one without you but hope you’re in a better place looking over us.”
“I want to send a hug to all of Mexico, to all those that helped. I loved you a lot. I send greetings to all in Boca Pascuales, I know you all were watching and love you immensely,” said Cleland Quiñonez. “Viva Mexico!”
