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The 13-year-old skateboarder Momiji Nishiya became Japan’s youngest Olympic champion with victory in the Tokyo 2020 street final on Monday.
World silver medallist Nishiya ensured it was a Japanese sweep in the competition, after compatriot Yuto Horigome, 22, won the men’s category on Sunday.
Nishiya, who turns 14 on August 30, is the second youngest individual gold medallist at the Olympics, behind Marjorie Gestring, of the United States. The driver won gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games at the age of 13 years and 268 days.
Osaka-born Nishiya scored 15.26 points, racking up some big scores in the “best trick” section of the event at the Koto Ward street venue to make history as the world’s first female Olympic skateboarding champion.
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“I didn’t think I could win, but everyone cheered me on so I’m glad I was able to find my groove,” she said.
“I wasn’t too worried about getting a medal. It was like, it’d be nice if I can get one.” Nishiya added.
Skateboarding is one of four new sports added to the Olympic programme for these Games, with the street competition here requiring competitors to perform tricks during runs over urban structures like railings and steps.
The silver medal went to another 13-year-old in Brazil’s world No 2 Rayssa Leal, who scored 14.64 points.
The podium was rounded out by another teenager – Japan’s 16-year-old Funa Nakayama, who was a further 0.15 points behind Leal.
Pamela Rosa, the world No 1 from Brazil, failed to make it through qualifying after missing three tricks.
World champion Aori Nishimura, 19, of Japan finished eighth in the final, while there was a sixth-placed finish for China’s Zheng Wenhui, 16.
