TAHITI (NEXSTAR) – Team USA made a powerful start on the first day of Olympic surfing, with 22-year-old Caroline Marks from San Clemente, California, achieving the highest overall score of the day.
In her 22 years, Marks has already secured some of the most prestigious accolades in the sport. She is a two-time Olympian, currently aiming for her first medal in Tahiti, and the reigning World Surf League (WSL) World Champion. Despite her early success, it was a break from the sport that positioned her perfectly for this Olympic run.
“Having permission to take a break was probably the best thing for her because she learned to fall in love with surfing again,” said Sarah Marks, Caroline’s mother.
Marks, a native of Florida, discovered surfing at an early age. Her passion and talent quickly propelled her into the professional scene. She qualified for the WSL Championship Tour at just 15, making her the youngest competitor in the sport’s top tier.
By 19, Marks had already competed in the Tokyo Olympics, finishing fourth, and was named WSL Rookie of the Year. However, in 2022, she decided to step away from professional surfing.
“That’s when you realize why people have sports psychs and all these other outlets, right? You start learning that along the way, like all these tools in your toolbox to help you cope with the world,” Marks’ mother said.
The break proved beneficial for Marks. In 2023, she returned to the sport, won the World Championship, and secured her spot on Team USA for the 2024 Olympics.
“It was so much more than just a win – it was all of those years of amateur into professional, to taking the time off to rehabilitate, mentally, physically, all of it,” Marks said.
Now, with a refreshed perspective, Marks is pursuing Olympic glory with a newfound maturity.
“I think there’s a lot of weight that’s come off her shoulders,” her mother observed. “That maturity, after going through the toughest time in sports history – it’s made her a tougher human being, it’s made her more relaxed in a way of saying it is what it is, I’ve been through this valley, how much harder can it get.”
Marks’ mature perspective is helping her thrive in the challenging Tahitian conditions as she pursues a gold medal.
