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Duke Kahanamoku

His surfing skills helped make the sport popular around the world.

As You Read, Think About: Why is Kahanamoku considered the father of modern surfing? 

A crowd gathered on a beach near Sydney, Australia. It was December 1914. Duke Kahanamoku (kah-hah-nah-MOH-koo) dropped his surfboard into the ocean and paddled toward the waves. When he zoomed back into view, he was standing tall on top of the water. 

Kahanamoku wasn’t done. He rode wave after wave, facing forward and backward on his board—he even stood on his head! Nobody in Australia had ever seen anything like it. His exhibition helped turn surfing into a national craze. 

Kahanamoku introduced the sport to other parts of the world. Today, he is known as the father of modern surfing—and one of the greatest ever. 

A crowd gathered on a beach near Sydney, Australia. It was December 1914. Duke Kahanamoku (kah-hah-nah-MOH-koo) dropped his surfboard into the ocean. He then paddled toward the waves. When he zoomed back into view, he was standing tall on top of the water. 

Kahanamoku wasn’t done. He rode wave after wave, facing forward and backward on his board. He even stood on his head! Nobody in Australia had ever seen anything like it. His exhibition helped turn surfing into a national craze. 

Kahanamoku introduced the sport to other parts of the world. Today he is known as the father of modern surfing—and one of the greatest surfers ever.  

Into the World of Surfing
Watch a video to learn more about this popular—and sometimes extreme—sport.

A Natural in the Water

Bettmann via Getty Images

Duke Kahanamoku

Kahanamoku was born on August 24, 1890, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Growing up, he spent his days at the beach, where he learned to surf. The sport had been a part of Native Hawaiian culture for centuries. Hawaiians called it he‘e nalu (HEH-eh NAH-loo), or wave sliding. 

Spending so much time in the water helped Kahanamoku become a strong swimmer. He gained fame in Hawaii, which had become a U.S. territory when he was a boy. But he was unknown outside of the Hawaiian Islands.

That changed in August 1911, when the American Athletic Union (AAU) held a swim meet in Honolulu Harbor. Kahanamoku won the 100-yard freestyle. He shattered the world record by 4.6 seconds. 

But AAU officials refused to recognize the record. They didn’t believe that anyone could swim that fast. Outraged, the people of Hawaii raised money to send Kahanamoku to prove himself against America’s best swimmers.

Kahanamoku did just that, qualifying for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. He went on to win both a gold and a silver medal at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden.

Kahanamoku was born on August 24, 1890, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Growing up, he spent his days at the beach. There, he learned to surf. The sport had been a part of Native Hawaiian culture for centuries. Hawaiians called it he‘e nalu (HEH-eh NAH-loo). That means “wave sliding” in Hawaiian. 

Spending so much time in the water helped Kahanamoku become a strong swimmer. He gained fame in Hawaii. This chain of islands had become a U.S. territory when he was a boy. But he was unknown outside Hawaii.

That changed in August 1911. The American Athletic Union (AAU) held a swim meet in Honolulu Harbor. Kahanamoku won the 100-yard freestyle. He shattered the world record by 4.6 seconds. 

But AAU officials refused to recognize the record. They didn’t believe that anyone could swim that fast. Outraged, the people of Hawaii raised money. They wanted to send Kahanamoku to prove himself against America’s best swimmers.

Kahanamoku did just that. He qualified for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. He went on to win both a gold and a silver medal at the 1912 Olympics. They were held in Stockholm, Sweden.

A Daring Rescue

Kahanamoku was invited to show off his swimming skills in competitions in other countries. He also surfed whenever he could, thrilling audiences who had never seen the sport. 

At the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, he won two more gold medals in swimming. 

His skills in the water later proved to be lifesaving. In June 1925, Kahanamoku was surfing in Newport Beach, California, when a boat capsized. The sea was too rough for a rescue boat—but not for Kahanamoku on his surfboard. He made multiple trips into the waves and saved eight men from drowning.

Kahanamoku was invited to show off his swimming skills in competitions in other countries. He also surfed whenever he could. He thrilled audiences who had never seen the sport.  

He competed as a swimmer at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. He won two more gold medals. 

His skills in the water later proved to be lifesaving. In June 1925, Kahanamoku was surfing in Newport Beach, California. A boat capsized, or tipped over, nearby. The sea was too rough for a rescue boat. So Kahanamoku used his surfboard. He made multiple trips into the waves. He ended up saving eight men from drowning.

Alamy Stock Photo 

Duke Kahanamoku (left) receives a gold medal from the king of Sweden at the 1912 Olympics. 

A Gift to the World

Hawaii became a state in 1959, just as the popularity of surfing was exploding—and not just at the beach. Before long, people were riding the waves in movies, song lyrics, and TV shows. 

Kahanamoku died in 1968 at age 77, but his legacy lives on. A century after he suggested it, surfing became an Olympic sport at the 2020 Games in Tokyo, Japan. Today, surfing is sometimes called Hawaii’s gift to the world—thanks to Kahanamoku. 

Hawaii became a state in 1959. Around that time, the popularity of surfing was exploding. This wasn’t just happening at the beach. Before long, people were riding the waves in movies, song lyrics, and TV shows. 

Kahanamoku died in 1968 at age 77. But his legacy lives on. A century after he suggested it, surfing became an Olympic sport at the 2020 Games in Tokyo, Japan. Today surfing is sometimes called Hawaii’s gift to the world—thanks to Kahanamoku.

A Life on the Water

Here are some key moments in Duke Kahanamoku’s life.

1911: He sets his first swimming world record at a race in Honolulu Harbor. He goes on to compete in four Olympics.


1914: He amazes crowds in Australia with surfing stunts—including riding waves with a woman standing on his shoulders!


1925: He saves eight men from drowning. His rescue inspires lifeguards to begin using surfboards.


A Life on the Water

Here are some key moments in Duke Kahanamoku’s life.


1911: He sets his first swimming world record at a race in Honolulu Harbor. He goes on to compete in four Olympics.


1914: He amazes crowds in Australia with surfing stunts—including riding waves with a woman standing on his shoulders!


1925: He saves eight men from drowning. His rescue inspires lifeguards to begin using surfboards.

1. Why do people consider Kahanamoku the father of modern surfing?

2. The text says Kahanamoku “shattered the world record” in the 100-yard freestyle. What does the verb shattered tell you?

3. According to the article, how did Kahanamoku’s skills in the water prove to be lifesaving?

1. Why do people consider Kahanamoku the father of modern surfing?

2. The text says Kahanamoku “shattered the world record” in the 100-yard freestyle. What does the verb shattered tell you?

3. According to the article, how did Kahanamoku’s skills in the water prove to be lifesaving?

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