Sky Brown is hoping her success in Tokyo will help change people's minds about skateboarding as an Olympic sport, as she looks to add another discipline to her bow in 2024.
Brown became the youngest British medallist in Olympic history when she clinched bronze in the women's park skateboarding event on Wednesday.
The 13-year-old – who won gold at the X Games in July – fell on her first two runs, but nailed her final effort to take bronze with a score of 56.47. Japan's Sakura Yosozumi won gold, with the host nation also claiming silver through Kokona Hiraki.
Skateboarding was making its Olympic debut in Tokyo and will again be competed in Paris in 2024.
That decision had its detractors, but all four events across the men's and women's disciplines have been a huge success at the Ariake Urban Sports Park, where youth has reigned supreme.
"I'm feeling insanely happy, it's crazy to be here, I'm thankful," Brown told BBC Sport.
"I hope I've changed people's minds about skateboarding. People don't know how beautiful skateboarding is, there are no rules, you can be creative, just get out there and do whatever you want.
"Falling on your first two runs is the worst feeling ever. I usually make my first two runs so I was a little shocked yesterday. My dad told me: 'This is just a contest, even if you fall you're still amazing, you're still good.'
"Then [gold medallist] Sakura said: 'Sky, we believe in you, you've got it, just stick it.' Everyone was cheering and I just thought, 'I've got to do this. I've got to land it'."
Brown suffered skull fractures due to a fall in 2020, but she explained: "That was a bit of a rollercoaster, but that accident made stronger, it made me feel powerful, it made me want to go hard and push myself.
"That was a heavy time for my family. It's insane to be here right now."
It is not just skating that Brown excels at. She is also a keen surfer, along with her brother Ocean, and is hoping to compete in that event in three years' time.
"That's the goal, that's my dream, competing for skating and surfing in Paris. That would be really cool. I surf more than I skate," she said.
"All I did to get here was believe in myself and take baby steps. If you believe in yourself, you could be here. But you've got to have fun and enjoy the journey."
Barbadian sensation Chelsea Tuach cop silver at Pro World Surf League (WSL) 3000 Series
Highly decorated Barbadian surfer Chelsea Tuach added more silverware to her collection as she produced an impressive performance to secure second position at the inaugural 2024 La Marginal Surfing Pro World Surf League (WSL) 3000 Series in Puerto Rico on Sunday.
Tuach, who locked horns with Costa Rica’s Leilani McGonagle in the final round of comptition, recovered from a slow start to get the better of her opponent in the opening exchanges.
After trading the lead on a number of occasions, Tuach maintained a slight edge over McGonagle, with a score of 5.67, heading into the back half of the final.
However, another massive exchange unfolded in the closing five minutes, as McGonagle unleashed her forehand attack to overtake the lead from Tuach with a heat-best score of 7.83.
Tuach found an opportunity and tried her best to rally, but fell just shy of topping the podium with a total score of 11.04. McGonagle won with a total of 12.76.
It was Tuach’s third podium finish in the 3000 Series in the Caribbean, having won the Martinique Surf Pro in 2019 and the Barbados Surf Pro in 2022. Her second-place finish propelled her up to eighth place on the North American Qualifying Series ranking.
Tuach, who comes from a surfing family and started surfing at age 8, is one of Barbados' Sports Tourism Ambassadors.
Sky Brown’s Olympic surfing dream was wiped out after she failed to qualify for Paris 2024 at the ISA World Surfing Games in Puerto Rico.
The 15-year-old was hoping to represent Team GB in both surfing and skateboarding at this summer’s Games in the French capital.
But her quest for qualification in the former was extinguished by a third-placed finish in the sixth repechage on Friday, behind 14-year-old Chinese surfer Yang Siqi and Janire Gonzalez-Etxabarri of Spain.
She registered scores of 4.53 and 4.33 from her two best attempts for a combined total of 8.86 in the waters off Arecibo.
Fellow teenager Yang won the heat with 11.83 points, while Gonzalez-Etxabarri posted 11.43 to secure her place in Paris.
Brown is the reigning world champion in park skateboarding, but is greener on the elite surfing circuit.
The Japan-born athlete, who aged 13 won park skateboard bronze in the sport’s debut at Tokyo 2020, recently said it “would mean the world” to be an Olympian in both sports.
Jamaica Olympic Association rides to the rescue, saves Jamaica Surfing Association from funding woes
In yet another display of well-needed support, the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) once again demonstrated its commitment to sports development by stepping in to rescue the Jamaica Surfing Association, ensuring the nation's surfers can ride the waves at the upcoming World Championship in Arecibo, Puerto Rico.
Responding to the urgent plea from the Jamaica Surfing Association, citing the non-materialization of promised funding from the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), the JOA not only fulfilled its initial commitment of a JMD$800,000 cash injection but has gone above and beyond by providing an additional JMD$400,000.
This generous intervention bridges the financial gap, empowering the aspiring surfers to compete at the World Championship scheduled from February 23 to March 3, 2024.
Icah Wilmot, President of the Jamaica Surfing Association and an internationally certified coach, expressed heartfelt gratitude, stating, "Thank you so much JOA for the support and assistance. You are life savers, and now we are heading to the competition to put our best foot forward, representing the nation with our eyes on the ultimate prize of spots at the 2024 Olympic Games."
Surfing has been gaining momentum locally in recent years, showcasing its Olympic and Paralympic credentials, capturing the attention and support of the JOA.
JOA President Christopher Samuda shared an optimistic outlook, stating, "Gale force winds blew, torrential rains there were; but the storm is over now, and light and liberty are on the horizon."
Meanwhile, JOA Secretary General/CEO, Ryan Foster, expressed the association’s continued support, saying, "Not even a tsunami could prevent us from giving our accomplished surfing ambassadors the opportunity to rule the waves."
With several sports now in the process of qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games, the JOA's timely intervention exemplifies its dedication to fostering excellence in sports, ensuring that athletes across diverse disciplines have the opportunity to shine on the global stage.
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