Melbourne Beach's Caroline Marks, 17, qualifies for surfing's first Olympics in Japan

A year ago, Caroline Marks got her driver's license. She'll need a plane this time.

And probably a Japanese dictionary.

Konnichiwa, Caroline. 

The 17-year-old Melbourne Beach native will be one of two women representing the U.S. at the inaugural surfing competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Japan, clinching that spot late Sunday in Maui, Hawaii.

When No. 2-ranked Lakey Peterson was upset in Round 3 by two-time world champion Tyler Wright (just back from a lengthy injury) in the Lululemon Maui Pro, all Marks had to do was defeat Coco Ho, one of the most popular Hawaiian surfers, and did just that, winning 12.53-9.50.

"I don't know, I'm just trying to enjoy the best time of my life," Marks said. "I've got my whole family here; they came to the first event and I won that, and now they're here at the last event, so maybe they're my lucky charms."

Olympic Committee officials were on hand to present Marks with an official USA banner with her photo superimposed on Mount Fuji as the youngest American representative.

Marks, who who will finish second in the world to Hawaii's Carissa Moore, didn't waste time against Ho, dropping in on a huge takeoff for a 6.50 score. She was leading 12.53-3.93 with less than 18 minutes to go when Ho stepped into a picturesque barrel and matched Marks' top wave of 6.50 to add a little pressure but she couldn't double up.

"I'm super proud of her, she's handled it well," said Marks' father, Darren, who was at the beach watching with the family.  

More:Olympic hopefuls from Brevard may include Slater, Marks, Harris, Presti, Kretschman, Deligdish

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Moore, from Hawaii, earned the first Olympic spot about an hour earlier after winning her Round 3 heat, also getting presented an official American banner by Olympic officials.

She clinched her fourth world title Monday when Marks lost to seven-time wold champion Stephanie Gilmore 13.73-11.50 in the quarterfinals.

Oddly, it wasn't a great start to an otherwise memorable Sunday for Marks, a second-year pro who this year claimed the historic first "equal pay" prize of $100,000 in the season-opening event at Gold Coast, Australia, and in late October matched that payday by winning in Portugal.

Marks finished last in her opening three-person heat Sunday, scoring a meager 5.10 total, falling to Macy Callaghan (8.00) and Nikki Van Dijk (5.83). It was the first time all year she had placed third in the first round.

Marks turned it on in Round 2, though, posting rides of 7.00 and 8.83 (at the final horn) to easily defeat Summer Macedo and Keely Andrew.

Marks, who won the only two Florida Pro events ever held at Sebastian Inlet, was the youngest world tour qualifier — for men or women — at the age of 15.

Meanwhile, 10th-ranked Kelly Slater, 47, is in a battle with John John Florence (ranked eighth) for the second men's spot on the U.S. Olympic team when they battle later this month at Hawaii's Pipeline Masters. Kolohe Andino is ranked fifth on the world circuit and has clinched the top USA spot. 

The contest site for the 2020 Games will be at Shidashita Beach, or "Shida," located about 40 miles outside of Tokyo in Chiba. There will be 20 men and 20 women, or 10 teams in all.

Among the other women competitors who have qualified: Australia's Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons; Brazil's Tatiana Weston-Webb; France's Johanne Defay; Costa Rica's Brisa Hennessy; and South Africa's Bianca Buitendag. 

Male qualifiers include Japan's Kanoa Igarashi, South Africa's Jordy Smith, France's Jeremy Flores and Portugal's Frederico Morais

Brevard's Olympians

Qualifying for the Olympics is difficult enough. Earning a medal is even tougher.

But it's been done. Brevard County's all-time medalists include softball star Kelly Kretschman of Satellite High School, who won gold in 2004 and silver in 2008.

Titusville's Mitzi Kremer earned a bronze on her swimming 4x100 relay at the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea. Her teammates: Mary Wayte, Dara Torres and Laura Walker.

Gymnastics star Kathy Johnson of Indialantic won a silver for the team-all-around title in the 1984 Games in Los Angeles and also earned a bronze on the balance beam. She was a teammate of Mary Lou Retton and Julianne McNamara that year. 

And Merritt Island sailing star Keith Notary won a silver medal in the 1992 Games by placing second in the Tornado class with partner Randy Smyth.

Satellite Beach soccer star Ashlyn Harris, an alternate at the Rio Games in 2016, likely will earn a goalkeeper spot on the USA women's soccer team for the Tokyo Games.

Contact Grossman at 321-242-3676 or hgrossman@floridatoday.com