Gold Medalist Caroline Marks Reveals the Nickname the USA Surf Team Called Themselves in Tahiti (Exclusive)

"Everyone was just so stoked," Marks tells PEOPLE exclusively of the U.S. surf team at the Olympics, adding, "It was really cool to be around that energy"

Caroline Marks' performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics was a reflection of her team's name.

While it could be tough to stay calm under pressure when competing on the world's biggest stage in sports, the 22-year-old professional surfer proved to keep her cool in the heat against Brazil's Tatiana Weston-Webb to win Team USA the gold.

For Marks, it was a mindset she's no stranger to as the defending world champion on the WSL Championship Tour who made her sophomore appearance at the Summer Games this year following her debut in Tokyo in 2021. That, plus the energy from her teammates that helped lead to her gold medal success.

The American surf roster included Marks, John John Florence, Griffin Colapinto, Caitlin Simmers and 2020 Olympic gold medalist Carissa Moore. "We were kind of calling ourselves 'The Good Vibe Tribe,' " Marks tells PEOPLE exclusively of the nickname Team USA surfers used during the Games.

"Everyone was just so stoked," she recalls. "We were just cruising as a team. It was really fun."

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The Florida native, who now lives in California's San Clemente, broke down their team housing in the Tahiti-version of the Olympic Village in comparison to the accommodations the rest of the Olympians had in Paris. "We had the ultimate setup," Marks says of their space off the Polynesian coast near Teahupo'o.

"It was pretty awesome. We were just hanging as a team basically every single day, all day," she continues. "We would talk about our intentions for the next day every night at dinner and it just felt so positive. It was really cool to be around that energy."

For surfers, Marks notes "it's pretty rare to stay with your other teammates for that long" since surfing is typically an individual sport — so getting to "eat with them, train with them and do everything together" was an aspect of the Olympic experience she "was really trying to enjoy."

Related: Griffin Colapinto Says ‘You Can Either Die’ or Have ‘Best Ride of Your Life’ at Olympic Surf Venue (Exclusive)

While the on-land bonding was advantageous to her success in the Games, Marks says "it was really cool" that she and her teammates "were all pushing each other in the water" as well. In fact, she pointed out that the camaraderie was just as special as the top prize.

"Obviously I'm here to medal and I'm here to do my best, but just want to really focus on all the details," Marks recalls of her mindset amid the Olympic journey. "I don't want to be so worried about the result that I miss everything in between, so I was trying my best to really be in the moment."

Marks also leaned on five-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist Moore for her expertise, having topped the podium in Tokyo. "Watching Carissa win in Tokyo was really inspiring to me," she says of the Hawaii native.

"We've been to the Olympics twice now together, which I'm really proud to say — and to have her here with me again... it's pretty amazing," Marks continues of Moore, who previously announced she'd be stepping back from professional surfing after the 2024 Olympics. "It was really cool to have her energy."

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Meanwhile, just because Marks has won Olympic gold doesn't mean the pressure is over for the athlete. In fact, she's very much in the middle of competition as the 2024 WSL Championship Tour is resumes on Aug. 20 at Cloudbreak off the shore of Tavarua, Fiji.

"I'm on such a high of winning the gold and I accomplished a lifelong achievement, but I also am like, 'Okay, I got to compete and throw the jersey on again in a week,' " says reigning world champ. "I'm just going to carry the confidence over of winning gold into Fiji."

The WSL Final 5 will be determined at the Fiji event, distinguishing the five men and five women to battle for their respective world titles at Lowers in San Clemente, Calif. The anticipated event takes place Sept. 6 through Sept. 14.

For Marks, she says she's "hopeful" that's where she'll be "defending my title."

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