Shino Matsuda (21), a member of the Japanese surfing team at the Paris Olympics, attended a send-off party for Panasonic, for which she serves as an image character.

I want to catch a big wave and come back with a medal.

Speaking to an audience of about 70 employees, he described the waves in Tahiti (French Polynesia), the venue for the Paris Olympics, as “the most amazing waves I’ve ever seen,” and declared, “I want to catch some of these big waves and come back with a medal.”

In an interview after the send-off party, he said, “I’m more excited than anything” about the dream of the Paris Olympics, which is just a month away, and said with a smile, “I have a good image of winning with my friends and standing on the podium” on the waves of Tahiti and on the Olympic stage. It’s been about a year since he started going to Tahiti. He also showed confidence in the Paris Olympics, saying that he’s been getting more and more times to get in the tube and is starting to get a feel for the waves.

“I love TKG” and eat a lot of Japanese food

Furthermore, like a 21-year-old, he returned to Japan from overseas last week and has been enjoying his brief time here, saying with a laugh, “I’ve been eating a lot of Japanese food, like my favorite TKG (rice with raw egg on top).”

He said that when he goes to Tahiti, surfing will be the only thing he will do, so he has prepared plenty of equipment to enjoy his leisure time, such as a soccer ball.

Winning nails in “passionate red”

Matsuda said that she went to a nail salon before leaving Japan to get new nails. She is now planning to get her nails done in “passionate red” as her lucky nails.

Another reason is that red nails stand out against the blue waves.

■ Shino Matsuda

Professional surfer. Born August 13, 2002 in Chigasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture.