Japan’s Coco Yoshizawa, 14, Wins Street Skateboard Gold

On Sunday, July 28, youth triumphed over all when the top female skateboarders competed for the women's street Olympic title in Paris 2024 at the Place de la Concorde.

3 teenagers occupied the podium: Japanese 14-year-old Yoshizawa Coco won the gold medal with a score of 272.75. With a score of 265.95, 15-year-old Japanese competitor Liz Akama took home the silver medal, while 16-year-old Brazilian Rayssa Leal took home the bronze with a score of 253.37.

Even at the young age of 14, Yoshizawa showed remarkable calmness and composure during her journey towards the gold medal. Japan has now won the gold medal in this event twice in a row, following Momiji Nishiya's victory in Tokyo 2020.

3 Teenagers Star in Women's Skateboarding

At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Japan's Coco Yoshizawa won the gold medal in the women's street skating competition. The 14-year-old skater is the Japanese second-youngest gold medalist in Olympic history. Her overall score was 272.25.

Liz Akama started strong, scoring 92.62 on her very first trick. She failed to score on her final three tricks, but her solid second run - a score of 89.26 allowed her to retain the silver.

Rayssa Leal, who won silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 event, discovered herself in 4th place as she prepared for her last performance. She calmly executed a kickflip frontside boardslide, earning 88.83 points and taking home bronze.

Tricks Yoshizawa played

According to all measures, the street skateboarding trick that brought 14-year-old Japanese Coco Yoshizawa the gold medal at the Olympics was pretty unique.

The huge spin flip frontside boardslide involves the skateboard rotating and flipping in both vertical and horizontal directions, landing on a rail before the skater slides backward. She received 96.49 out of 100 points for pulling it off during the final round.

Even more impressive is the fact that Coco Yoshizawa had been performing the identical trick at her neighborhood skatepark for years without even realizing it was an Olympic-level performance that would secure her a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Paris 2024.

Yoshizawa's Skateboarding Journey

Yoshizawa observed the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2020. She watched Momiji Nishiya, a fellow skateboarder from Japan who was only 13 at the time, use the identical massive spin flip frontside boardslide that Yoshizawa had already perfected to win the sports first-ever Olympic gold medal.

She said: "It was unexpected, and for the first time, I believed that I might have given it a try."

Yoshizawa then started participating in tournaments. She received a bronze medal in street skating at the 2024 World Skateboarding Tour Dubai after placing fifth at the 2023 World Championships in Tokyo.

She finished third in the Paris Olympic Qualifier Series' first round, which was held in Shanghai in May. This past month, she won her first-ever competition at the Olympic Qualifier Series in Budapest.

Yoshizawa's Performance in the Olympics

Each participant in the women's street skateboarding final performed two 45-second runs, followed by a phase consisting of five tricks. A skater's overall score ranges from 0 to 300, with each of their best two tricks and best run of two earning them between 0 and 100 points.

Yoshizawa was in 6th place going into the trick phase. However, she won her medal with her 4th performance, a huge spin flip frontside boardslide. She later stated, "I was not so much happy but relieved that I made it."

With 272.75 points at the end of the competition, she lifted her hands in triumph after nailing every move. The other two medallists were all in their teens: Liz Akama, a 15-year-old Japanese teammate, took home the silver with 265.95 points.

Yoshizawa stated, "There were more spectators than in earlier tournaments, and the encouragement enabled her to give it her all."

Men's Skateboarding Competition

The event organizers have announced that the men's street skateboarding competition, which was initially supposed to take place at the famous Place de la Concorde in the historic heart of Paris, has been delayed until Monday because of overnight rain.

With Yuto Horigome of Japan defending his title as the current Olympic skateboarding street winner, this competition is much desired.

Leading competitors, such as American Nyjah Huston, who has an amazing record and skill, and Aurelien Giraud of France, who want to benefit from home advantage, will put Horigome up against tough opposition. The thrill and drama surrounding this event in the 2024 Paris Olympics are heightened by the extra day of suspense that the delay brings to fans and participants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who will be the youngest competitor in the 2024 Olympics?

Zheng Haohao, a skateboarder from China, will compete in the park event at the Games, making her the youngest athlete at just 11 years and 11 months old.

Q. Who is the oldest competitor in 2024?

Australian rider Mary Janna, 69, is the oldest athlete heading to Paris. Her 70th birthday is just four months away.

Q. How can I get into the Olympic skateboarding competition?

 To qualify for the Games, a skateboarder must finish the Olympic qualification period ranked among the top 20 skateboarders worldwide in their discipline.