Thirteen-year-old surfer Leihani Zoric breaks record as first Indigenous world champ

Leihani Zoric almost didn’t compete in El Salvador, but now the 13-year-old is the youngest International Surfing Association (ISA) Under 18 World Junior Champion in history.

“When I went over there, I was extremely sick,” Zoric told ABC Weekend Breakfast.

“I wasn’t even going to go, my mum and dad were like, ‘Leihani don’t go, you’re that sick’.”

But the teenager was committed.

“I was like, ‘no, I’m going to go. I believe that I can go all the way’,” she told her parents.

And all the way she went, using visualisation to help her through.

“I wrote it down about 1,000 times [and] I said to myself, ‘I’m going to become this year’s Under 18 ISA gold medallist’,” Zoric said.

“So, when it happened, I was like, oh my God, this is crazy.”

Across more than a week of competition, Zoric was part of a 12-strong Australian team that went head-to-head with the world’s best junior surfers.

She competed three age divisions above her own, to take out the title.

“It feels amazing,” Zoric said.

“I’m really proud of myself for all my hard work and effort I’ve put in, and all the people that have helped me along the way.”

It comes after a stand-out year so far, which includes winning the Junior Girls and Open Women’s divisions at the 2026 Indigenous Surfing Titles.

She’s now back home not only as a World Champion, but a history maker.

And she’s taking it all in her stride, with a maturity that’s beyond her years.

“I’m just so grateful to have been able to go to El Salvador and represent my culture and my country as best as I can,” she said.

Creating a proud history

Zoric, from Byron Bay in northern New South Wales, is also the first Indigenous world champion surfer at any level.

“I’m really proud to have represented my Yued mob over in Western Australia,” she said.

“We have such important history in our culture and I feel like [that] has really shaped me as a person.”

Zoric first got a feel for surfing at two days old, when her dad put her on a surfboard in the shallows at Broken Head.

From then on, she just loved the water.

She takes inspiration from Soli Bailey, the first pro surfer to compete under the Aboriginal flag in the World Surfing League, and Cathy Freeman.

“Having those people inspire me has definitely made me want to be like them one day,” she said.

Along with looking up to others, Zoric wants to be a positive role model herself.

When she’s not in the water, she’s busy creating connection, with things like Lei’s Lu’au, a community day celebrating girls and women in surfing.

“I hope that I inspire, not just as an athlete, but being a good person and always caring about others, being encouraging and just having a positive attitude all the time,” she said.

“Bringing people up and lifting their spirits and attitudes and just [making] them feel like they belong here in this world.

“Because everybody is important and special in their own unique ways.”

Locana Cullen (Under 16 men’s) and Lucy Darragh (Under 16 women’s) also claimed individual golds at the World Junior Championships, with Australia winning three out of the four divisions.

The Australians also won their third consecutive team gold at the event.