Dominic Barona was born in 1993 in Montañita, known as the birthplace of surfing in Ecuador. The small town attracts surfers from all over the world, and Barona, encouraged by her old brother and now coach Israel, was surfing at an early age.

She quickly rose through the ranks and was seen as not only Ecuador’s best surfer of her generation but a rising star in Latin America’s surf ranks. After a successful junior career, multiple national titles, and ISA Games podiums, Barona hit the QS to try and achieve her ultimate goal of CT qualification.

The powerful goofy-footer came incredibly close in both 2016 and 2017, finishing just outside the qualification zone, only a few heats away from achieving her goal. In 2019 though she did achieve one of her biggest dreams when she claimed silver at the Pan Pacific Games and qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Instagram: @mimi_barona