13-Year-Old Sky Brown Becomes Britain’s Youngest Olympic Medallist With Skateboard Bronze (Photos)
Skateboarding sensation, Sky Brown has on Wednesday, August 4 became Britain’s youngest Olympic medallist in history as she grabbed Tokyo 2020 bronze at 13.
Aged 13 years and 28 days, Sky produced a composed final run to finish third in the women’s park skateboarding final and claim bronze at the Tokyo Games.
The teenager showed extraordinary skill to finish third just over a year after fracturing her skull in a training crash that could have killed her.
Sky broke down in tears of joy at the end of the final where she was beaten by two Japanese stars – Sakura Yosozumi, 19, won gold with a best score of 60.09 points, while 12-year-old compatriot Kokona Hiraki claimed silver with 59.04 as the sport made its Olympic debut with athletes performing tricks in a huge concrete bowl.
The Briton lives in San Diego, US with her British father Stewart, a skateboarder and marketing executive originally from Cornwall, and Japanese mother Miko, a housewife.
As well as being the youngest female professional skateboarder in the world, she is the youngest Nike-sponsored athlete on the planet appearing in ads with Serena Williams and Simone Biles.
The teenager is said to be worth $5million already, with a series of endorsements with other big brands including Vans, Hurley, and Billabong. However, after today’s success her fame and fortune is expected to soar further.
Sky already has 1million followers on Instagram and the YouTube channel she shares with her brother Ocean, nine, who is also a professional skateboarder, has had 20million views.
She even won US TV talent show ‘Dancing With The Stars: Juniors‘ in 2018 and such is her love for surfing, she may choose to take part in that event at Paris 2024, when she will be 16.
Today, Sky entered the history books by becoming the youngest Briton ever to compete for the nation at an Olympics and then grabbing bronze having left it all on her third and final run, after falling in her first two routines.
She replaces Sarah Hardcastle as Britain’s youngest summer Games medallist – the swimmer was aged 15 years and 113 days when she won silver and bronze in Los Angeles at 1984 Olympics.
Sky was overwhelmed with relief when nailing her routine third time around, to leap above Japan’s Misugu Okamoto into bronze medal position.
Virtually the entire field of competitors surrounded and embraced her as she dissolved into tears. When she emerged from the huddle, it was clear that she was delighted.
Speaking afterwards Sky said;
I’m so stoked. I can’t believe it, it’s unbelievable. I’m so happy to be on the podium with these guys, it’s insane. The medal feels unreal, it’s like a dream. I can’t wait to show the medal to my family and friends.
She has surpassed the summer British record of Margery Hinton, who was 13 years and 43 days when she competed in swimming at the 1928 Games. British figure skater, Cecilia Colledge was 15 when she won figure skating silver in 1936.
