At the age of just 13, Japan’s Momiji Nishiya made history on Monday by winning the first-ever Olympic gold medal in women’s street skateboarding at the Games in Tokyo.
Nishiya topped a youthful podium with Rayssa Leal of Brazil, also 13, taking the silver medal and Japan’s Funa Nakayama, 16, winning bronze. With an average age of 14 years and 191 days, it is the youngest individual podium in the history of the Olympic Games.
The host nation has enjoyed a clean sweep of golds in the street event of skateboarding after Yuto Horigome won the men’s competition.
Nishiya stumbled and missed the landing on her first two tricks but nailed her final three to finish with a score of 15.26, topping Leal’s tally of 14.64, and beamed with delight when her gold medal win was confirmed.
At 13 years and 203 days, Leal would have become the youngest individual Olympic champion had she won.
