American · San Clemente, California, USA · Born 22 March 1994American surfer from San Clemente who became the first U.S. surfer to qualify for the Olympics, competing at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Born in San Clemente, California, on 22 March 1994, Kolohe Andino is the son of Dino Andino, the 1990 USA national champion and World Tour competitor. Named 'Kolohe' — Hawaiian for 'little rascal' — Andino grew up around the sport's elite and set a national record with nine National Scholastic Surfing Association titles, surpassing the previous record held by Bobby Martinez. Andino made his Championship Tour debut in 2010 and qualified for the full tour in 2012 at age 18. He broke through in 2011, winning both the ASP 6-Star Quiksilver Brazil Open and the Vans Pier Classic, and claimed his first WSL-era event win at the inaugural Surf City Pro in Huntington Beach in January 2015. He has finished in the world's top five on three occasions, reaching a career-high ranking of world number four in 2016, though a maiden Championship Tour victory has remained elusive. In 2019, Andino became the first American surfer to qualify for the sport's Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games, held in 2021 due to the pandemic delay. He recovered from ankle surgery to compete at the Games, one of the milestone moments of surfing's arrival on the Olympic program. Andino has become a mentor figure for the next generation of San Clemente surfers, including Griffin and Crosby Colapinto, and continues to compete on the Championship Tour into his thirties as one of the most experienced American surfers on tour.
Becoming the first American surfer to qualify for the Olympics
How They Played
Explosive, technically precise all-round surfing
Lasting Impact
One of the faces of modern American surfing and a mentor to the next generation from San Clemente
American Athletes