Surfing traces back thousands of years to ancient Peruvian fishermen and Polynesian cultures around 400 AD. The sport gained international attention in 1779 when James King documented wave riding in Hawaii.
Centuries later, Duke Kahanamoku, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, became an international surfing ambassador, helping popularize the sport and supporting its inclusion in the Olympic Games.
Surfing made its historic Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, introducing the power, artistry, and athleticism of wave riding to the world’s biggest athletic stage.
Team USA competed in both men’s and women’s events, showcasing remarkable talent and dominance, especially in the women’s division, where American surfing legends captured back-to-back gold medals and cemented the nation’s reputation for excellence on the Olympic waves.
Surfing made its historic Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, introducing the power, artistry, and athleticism of wave riding to the world’s biggest athletic stage.
Team USA competed in both men’s and women’s events, showcasing remarkable talent and dominance, especially in the women’s division, where American surfing legends captured back-to-back gold medals and cemented the nation’s reputation for excellence on the Olympic waves.
Since the addition of surfing to the Olympic program in 2020, the United States has established itself as a powerhouse in the sport. Discover the U.S. surfing legends who have shaped the sport’s history for Team USA.
Caroline Marks, a powerhouse female surfer for Team USA, brought home the gold medal in women’s shortboard surfing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Carissa Moore won the first-ever Olympic gold medal in women’s shortboard surfing at the Tokyo 2020 Games, becoming the first surfer to win both an Olympic title and a WSL world title in the same year.
Caity Simmers competed in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and represented Team USA in the sport of surfing at only 18 years old.
Griffin Colapinto made his Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, competing in the men’s shortboard event at the Teahupo’o break in Tahiti.
John John Florence represented Team USA at two Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, solidifying his place among the top Olympic surfers.
The future of U.S. Olympic surfing looks bright, with emerging talent and enhanced training programs positioning America’s surfers to continue their winning tradition at future Olympic Games and beyond.
