Maldives’ most celebrated surfer Hussain “Iboo” Areef has won third place in the Asian Surfing Championship 2019, while Ismail “Smiley” Rasheed came in fourth.

Both surfers competed in the finals in the Men’s Shortboard Open, held in China, on Thursday.

Surfers from Japan, Sri Lanka and China took part in the competition that started on November 17.

Three athletes represented the Maldives at this year’s Asian Surfing Championship; team captain Iboo, Smiley and Ahmed “Ammadey” Agil. Ibrahim Nashal Nasir is the team’s manager.

Sports Minister, Ahmed Mahloof, applauded the “great effort” by the surfing team at the championship.

While the competition is to continue till November 24, the minister wished them best and added “we are with you.”

The men’s surfing team did well at the World Surfing Games 2019 this September; it was the first time that the country competed in the games since 2002.