This morning was the climax of the inaugural women’s Olympic Games skateboarding finals at Ariake Park
The entire competition took place over a six hour period from 00:30 last night into the morning at Tokyo 2020.
Skateboarding consists of street and park events. Skateboarders must perform tricks on an assortment of obstacles like ledges, stairs and handrails to earn a score from the judges, the best combined score wins.
The medals were won a host of young women with 13-year-old Momiji Nishiya, 13-year-old Rayssa Leal and 16-year-old Funa Nakayama.
The 13-year-old teenage girls slayed in the park today! #skateboarding #Olympics #Tokyo2020
What a final!!!
First Olympic champion Nishiya Momiji 🇯🇵
Second place Rayssa Leal 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/YE1A3hpdjA— Not Just a Fanfiction Writer 🌈💕📘 (@EzraLoAcire) July 26, 2021
Although the competition was dominated by younsters, there was also 34-year-old American Alexis Sablone and 20-year-old Roos Zwetsloot in the final.
Nishiya is the youngest person to win at Tokyo 2020 but, at the age of 13 years 330 days, she still is not the youngest person to win a gold medal at the Olympics.
Who is the youngest Olympic gold medallist?
In 1936, USA diver, Marjorie Gestring won the gold medal in Germany. She was 13 years 268 days old at the time.
She competed in the 3 meter springboard in diving in Berlin. This was the same year that Jesse Owens won four gold medals in track and field in front of Adolf Hitler.
Due to the starting of World War II, Gestring never had a chance to compete at another Olympic Games. Even though she was only 25 in 1948.
US diver Marjorie Gestring remains the youngest individual Olympic champion after winning the 3m springboard at the 1936 Berlin Games at 13 years and 268 days. pic.twitter.com/y7iPbzX0Vd
— Ashish Magotra (@clutchplay) July 26, 2021
Interestingly, if Brazilian skateboarder Rayssa Leal had managed to snatch gold in the skateboarding this morning then she would have taken the title for youngest Olympic gold medallist.
The Brazilian is only 13 year 203 days but she left today with a silver medal.
There is no doubt that the future of women’s skateboarding bright bright with these young women at the helm.
literally crying #skateboarding pic.twitter.com/C5CSUzc6DB
— 晓 🦢get well soon rika (@RlKABOT) July 26, 2021
