French Polynesian Kauli Vaast and Caroline Marks of U.S. win gold at Paris Olympics surfing

TEAHUPO’O, Tahiti (AP) — French Polynesian Kauli Vaast won the gold medal in men’s surfing while Caroline Marks from the United States won the women's surfing gold medal on Monday at the Paris Olympics in Tahiti.

Cheers and tears erupted from boats floating near the wave and crowds of spectators along the shore as the men's final match ended in the afternoon. Vaast pumped his arms into the air in victory after beating Jack Robinson from Australia, who received the silver medal.

“I don’t really realize it, but I just made history,” said Vaast. “I can’t be prouder to represent Tahiti and France at home.”

The women's gold medal match ended about thirty minutes later, with Marks beating Tatiana Weston-Webb from Brazil, who was awarded the silver medal.

“Your whole life goes into a moment like this,” Marks said with a gold medal hanging around her neck. “It’s beyond all my wildest dreams.”

For the bronze medals, Gabriel Medina from Brazil and Johanne Defay from France won after beating Alonso Correa from Peru and Brisa Hennessy from Costa Rica, respectively.

“Chopes gave me so many good waves, so many good results. So I can’t complain,” said Medina, using a common nickname for Teahupo'o.

Medalists — some in bare feet — stepped on to the Olympic podium near the ocean as crowds gathered to cheer and take photographs. Roosters ran along the grass while young local surfers called the names of the athletes as they walked by.

All winners of the Paris Olympics surfing competition are first-time Olympic medalists, after defending Olympic women’s champion Carissa Moore of the United States — who won at the Tokyo Games, where Olympic surfing debuted — was beaten in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

“Obviously I’m really sad to not be a part of finals day, to get to represent my home and my family one more time, but I’m really grateful,” Moore said after her loss. “I just hope that at the end of the day I can encourage whoever is watching, win or lose, don’t be afraid to go into it fearlessly and don’t be afraid to fail.”

The final day of the Paris Olympics surfing competition began Monday morning after two days of delays due to unfavorable conditions. In the morning, conditions were smaller than the heavy, barrel-shaped waves Teahupo’o is famed for and that were seen during part of the men’s competition the week before.

But by the afternoon waves grew larger and more frequent, giving athletes a chance to impress judges with the time they spent inside the barrels. At one point during the competition a whale jumped out of the water while surfers went head to head.

Six of the eight surfers who made it to the semifinals represented different nations. French Polynesian, Peruvian, Australian and other national flags flew from boats near the waves.

While not every surfer who competed was able to bring home a medal, many agreed that the second-ever Olympics surfing competition — filled with viral photographs, record-breaking scores and hours of stunning video footage broadcast to viewers around the world — helped promote the sport.

"Everyone’s watching and paying attention,” said Medina, who said he gained millions of social media followers after a photo of him floating in the sky next to his surfboard while bailing out of a wave went viral during the competition. “I think surfing wins”

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Caroline Marks, of the United States, surfs during the gold medal match of the surfing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Kauli Vaast, of France, celebrates during the gold medal match of the surfing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Kauli Vaast, of France, center, celebrates alongside his coach Jeremy Flores, second from right, after winning the gold medal match of the surfing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Kauli Vaast, of France, celebrates after winning the gold medal match of the surfing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Tatiana Weston-Webb, of Brazil, carves off a wave in the women's gold medal final in the surfing competition during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Teahupo'o, Tahiti, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Ben Thouard/Pool Photo via AP)

Tatiana Weston-Webb, of Brazil, surfs during the gold medal match of the surfing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Tatiana Weston-Webb, of Brazil, drops into a wave in the women's gold medal final in the surfing competition during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Teahupo'o, Tahiti, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Ben Thouard/Pool Photo via AP)

Tatiana Weston-Webb, of Brazil, surfs during the gold medal match of the surfing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Tatiana Weston-Webb, of Brazil, drops into a wave in the women's gold medal final in the surfing competition during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Teahupo'o, Tahiti, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Ben Thouard/Pool Photo via AP)

Caroline Marks, of the United States, gets a wave in the women's gold medal final in the surfing competition during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Teahupo'o, Tahiti, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Ben Thouard/Pool Photo via AP)

Caroline Marks, of the United States, surfs during the gold medal match of the surfing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Jack Robinson, of Australia, snaps off the lip during the semifinals of the surfing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (Ben Thouard/Pool Photo via AP)

Jack Robinson, of Australia, snaps off the lip during the semifinals of the surfing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (Ben Thouard/Pool Photo via AP)

Kauli Vaast, of France, celebrates during the gold medal match of the surfing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Kauli Vaast, of France, surfs during the gold medal match of the surfing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Jack Robinson, of Australia, surfs during the gold medal match of the surfing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Caroline Marks, of the United States, turns on a wave in the semifinals of the surfing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (Ben Thouard/Pool Photo via AP)

Kauli Vaast, of France, celebrates after winning the gold medal match of the surfing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Teahupo'o, Tahiti. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Georgia Tech (3-1, 1-1 ACC) at No. 19 Louisville (2-0, 0-0), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

BetMGM College Football Odds: Louisville by 10 1/2.

Series: Georgia Tech leads 2-1.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Georgia Tech resumes ACC play seeking to rebound and remain in league contention after losing 31-28 two weeks ago at Syracuse. The Yellow Jackets also seek their best five-game start since 5-0 in 2014. They also want their sixth win over a ranked ACC team under coach Brent Key, three weeks after upsetting then- No. 10 Florida State 24-21 in Dublin, Ireland. Louisville opens ACC play after a bye following routs of FCS Austin Peay and Jacksonville State by a combined 111-14 margin. The Cardinals also seek their second consecutive series win against the Yellow Jackets after rallying past them 39-34 last season in Atlanta in Jeff Brohm’s coaching debut.

KEY MATCHUP

Georgia Tech is one of eight FBS teams without a sack allowed, protection that has helped mobile quarterback Haynes King become one of the nation’s top passers. The Yellow Jackets will face their most aggressive pressure yet from a Louisville defense that averages 4.5 sacks per game and has registered 19 tackles for loss, which rank second and fifth, respectively, nationally.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Georgia Tech: Quarterback Haynes King threw three touchdown passes in one half of last week’s 59-7 rout of VMI and has six TDs overall, tied for 26th in FBS. He enters tied for fifth with a 76% completion rate (81 of 106) and a 169.44 efficiency rating.

Louisville: Receiver Ja’Corey Brooks has become a much-needed target after the departures of several playmakers. He leads the team with 13 receptions for 172 yards with one TD, including 89 on six catches against Jacksonville State. The Alabama transfer surpassed 1,000 career yards and has 1,068 total, and ranks third in the ACC with 6.5 catches per game.

FACTS AND FIGURES

Georgia Tech has converted all 14 trips inside the red zone with 13 TDs and a field goal. … The Yellow Jackets have blocked nine kicks in 25 contests since Key began as interim coach in 2022. … Louisville had 610 yards against Jacksonville State, its second-highest total under Brohm. … Linebacker Stanquan Clark has a team-high 11 tackles, including seven solo stops.

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Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King (10) throws from the pocket during the first half of a NCAA college football game against Virginia Military Institute Sunday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Atlanta,. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)