The first-ever women’s street skateboarding event at the Olympics was held in Tokyo on Monday, and 13-year-old Rayssa Leal took home the silver medal.
When the sport of skateboarding made its Olympic debut, Leal was among a group of Brazilian teenagers that finished in the top three and won medals.
Rayssa Leal Went From Skateboarding Fairy to Olympic Silver
Silver went to Japanese 16-year-old Funa Nakayama, and bronze went to Japanese 13-year-old Momiji Nishiya.
On the other hand, you may recognise Leal from 2015, when a video of him as a 7-year-old became popular on Vine. In the clip, Leal successfully completes a heelflip over a flight of steps on his third try.
She stood out in the crowd because of her dazzling blue dress and white tights, which were nicknamed “fairy princess” attire at the time. After legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk promoted the film to his followers, it received widespread acclaim online.
Rayssa Leal Skateboard Practice
For his sixth birthday, Leal received a skateboard, and he “started riding it around the house,” as he said to the extreme sports publication Dew Tour in the year 2020.
Skateboarding was something I tried out with some of my dad’s buddies, but my board was too huge and I didn’t have the leg strength for it at the time. But I worked hard at it, and eventually I wasn’t struggling quite as much.
Not only has Leal continued to skateboard professionally since her Vine days, but she has also become an internet sensation.
When the 2019 Street League Skateboarding world tour began, Leal placed third, but by July of that year, he had won the overall title. The following month, she placed fourth in her maiden X Games competition and second at the Street League World Championships in Sao Paulo.
Last Words
This year, she proved why she deserves her reputation as one of the world’s top street skateboarders by qualifying for the Olympics for the first time.
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