‘It’s just insane:’ 14-year-old Arisa Trew wins Olympic skateboard gold at Paris Games | Paris Olympic Games 2024

Final yr, Australia’s teenage skate sensation Arisa Trew turned the primary girl to land a 720, two full rotations whereas mid-air, in competitors. In Could, Trew continued her trajectory by changing into the primary girl to land a 900, two and a half rotations.

On Tuesday, within the late afternoon solar on the iconic Place de la Concorde in central Paris, Trew continued her history-making streak. Within the girls’s park occasion, Trew turned the primary Australian girl to win an Olympic skateboarding gold medal – becoming a member of compatriot Keegan Palmer, who gained gold in Tokyo and can defend his males’s crown on Wednesday. Trew, simply 14, turns into the youngest Australian Olympic gold medallist – a exceptional achievement given the nation’s storied historical past on the Video games.

After Trew landed her 900, legendary skater Tony Hawk congratulated her on social media: “Glass ceilings are so 2023.” The American, who pioneered the game, was within the stands in Paris. “She’s main the best way of what’s potential in skateboarding and in girls’s skateboarding,” he stated. “And we’re simply fortunate to have her. That run proper there may have gained any occasion.”

The Australian gained forward of Japan’s Cocona Hiraki, who collected silver, and Nice Britain’s Sky Brown of Group GB, who was third – a repeat of her bronze medal in Tokyo.

Held at a makeshift venue overlooking the Luxor Obelisk, with a view out to the Grand Palais, there have been spills and thrills aplenty because the park skateboarding obtained below method. Trew, decked out in vivid pink knee pads and a helmet, seemed prepared for enterprise – as she waited for her first run, standing in entrance of the Olympic rings, skateboard pointing to the sky.

The Australian had entered the Olympics in sturdy kind, profitable qualifying occasions in Shanghai and Budapest. However she seemed considerably shaky within the preliminaries earlier on Tuesday, solely qualifying in sixth of eight. The stress constructed when Trew got here unstuck on her first run, a giant opening 540 adopted by a Madonna earlier than she fell to the bottom. A superb first run from Hiraki, scored at 91.98, solely added to the event.

On her second run, Trew confirmed the composure that had many contemplating her the pre-Video games favorite. She started with one other massive 540, earlier than closing out the run with no wobble, incomes a 90.11. It was sufficient to maneuver Trew into the medal placings – and by the tip of the sphere’s second runs, the Australian was ranked third.

All of it got here right down to the ultimate run, and Trew held nothing again. “I used to be simply pondering on my third run that I needed to land it it doesn’t matter what,” she stated afterwards. “I have to land this run.”

Trew started with a bang: a McTwist 540 was adopted by a physique variable 540. She confirmed technical excellence and classy motion all through the run, ending with a noseblunt revert. The judges duly rewarded the run, with a rating of 93.18 transferring her into first. Trew was mobbed by her opponents in a present of touching comradery. The Australian then endured a nervous wait because the 5 remaining skaters had their final runs, however no-one may match Trew’s theatrics on the skateboard.

“It was simply loopy, and so thrilling,” she stated after the medal ceremony. “I couldn’t imagine it once I knew that I used to be the winner of the Olympics. This being my first Olympics – it’s simply insane.”

Trew stated she had tried to deal with the occasion like some other occasion. “I wasn’t actually nervous – I simply have to assume it’s one other skate comp and have enjoyable with all my mates and skate my greatest. All I actually needed to do was land a strong run.”

Trew, who’s Japanese-Australian, began skating on the age of seven. She took up the game as a substitute for browsing, having discovered the situations too chilly in winter whereas within the water along with her father. Trew stated she was happy with her heritage. “My Mum is Japanese and I really like Japan and all of the Japanese skaters are loopy good,” she stated.

For the diminutive skater, who solely turned 14 in Could, the gold medal seemed outsized round her neck. “It’s tremendous cool that I’ve gained the gold medal – it’s been a dream, I’m so excited,” she stated. “It’s somewhat bit heavier than I assumed, nevertheless it’s like – stunning.”