Fans React to Caroline Marks’s ‘Inspiring’ Return to SI Swimsuit in Black Two-Piece

One Olympic gold medal later, the professional surfer is back to pose for the 2025 issue.

Caroline Marks represented Team USA at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 / Ed Sloane/Getty Images

Pro surfer Caroline Marks is back and better than ever. The SI Swimsuit model, who made her debut with the brand back in 2020 is set to return to the 2025 issue, and a lot has changed since the first time she worked with the brand, posing for photographer James Macari in Turks and Caicos.

Over the weekend the 22-year-old was captured in her hometown, Boca Raton, Fla. by visual artist Ben Horton, and proved she’s still got it. Marks began surfing at the age of 8 and became the youngest surfer ever selected to the USA National Team just three years later. In 2017, when she was 15 years old, she became the youngest surfer ever to qualify for the WSL World Championship Tour. She qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the first year surfing was an event in the games, and finished fourth on the podium. Last year, she took home the World Surf League Champion title, and in 2024 Marks finally secured Olympic gold at the Paris Games.

Caroline Marks poses for SI Swimsuit in Boca Raton, Fla. / Ben Horton/Sports Illustrated

“She’s baaaack! 🫶Caroline Marks is a pro surfer who made her brand debut back in 2020. Four years (and one Olympic gold medal) later, she’s making her return for the 2025 SI Swimsuit issue. 👙The two-time Olympian, and—as of this past summer— Olympic gold medalist, has an impressive list of accomplishments both on and off the waves. At the end of 2023, she took home the World Surf League (WSL) title at just 21 years old and we’re absolutely thrilled to welcome such an incredible athlete back to the pages of the annual magazine. 🏄‍♀️To read more about Caroline and her return to the fold head to the link in our bio,” the brand wrote on Instagram announcing her return to the fold.

“Biz casual for you @caroline_markss🔥🔥🔥,” SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day commented.

“Here she is 🔥,” Macy Jane Callaghan stated.

“So beautiful, incredibly inspiring and so strong! 💪🏼 🔥,” Abbie Crane gushed.

“The hottesttttt!” Julia Muniz Robinson complimented.

“Oh my goodness. Beautiful, powerful and amazing inside and out. 🙌❤️,” USA Surfing chimed.

“🔥👏😁get it girl,” Kalani Robb added.

“❤️ so accomplished 🙌🙌🙌,” one fan wrote.

“Absolutely stunning!!🩷,” someone else exclaimed.

“Sports Illustrated has done such a good job with celebrating every different body figure,” Marks said while on location of her debut four years ago. “[The brand is] showing girls you can embrace your body and be sexy and feminine, but also go out there and rip.”