• Japan's Momiji Nishiya poses with her gold medal during the podium ceremony of the skateboarding women's street final of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Sports Park.
    Japan's Momiji Nishiya poses with her gold medal during the podium ceremony of the skateboarding women's street final of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Sports Park.
  • From left: Rayssa Leal of Brazil, winner of the silver medal, and Japan's Momiji Nishiya, winner of the gold medal, and Funa Nakayama, winner of the bronze medal, also of Japan pose with their medals.
    From left: Rayssa Leal of Brazil, winner of the silver medal, and Japan's Momiji Nishiya, winner of the gold medal, and Funa Nakayama, winner of the bronze medal, also of Japan pose with their medals.
  • Momiji Nishiya of Team Japan celebrates during the Women's Street Final.
    Momiji Nishiya of Team Japan celebrates during the Women's Street Final.
  • Momiji Nishiya of Japan gets a hug during the Women's Street Final.
    Momiji Nishiya of Japan gets a hug during the Women's Street Final.
  • Japan's Momiji Nishiya competes in the skateboarding women's street final of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
    Japan's Momiji Nishiya competes in the skateboarding women's street final of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
  • Gold medal winner Momiji Nishiya of Japan walks off the course after winning the women's street skateboarding finals.
    Gold medal winner Momiji Nishiya of Japan walks off the course after winning the women's street skateboarding finals.
  • Momiji Nishiya of Japan performs during the Skateboarding Women's Street final.
    Momiji Nishiya of Japan performs during the Skateboarding Women's Street final.
  • Momiji Nishiya of Team Japan falls while competing during the Women's Street Final .
    Momiji Nishiya of Team Japan falls while competing during the Women's Street Final .
  • Momiji Nishiya of Team Japan competes during the Women's Street Final.
    Momiji Nishiya of Team Japan competes during the Women's Street Final.
  • Momiji Nishiya of Team Japan.
    Momiji Nishiya of Team Japan.
  • Momiji Nishiya of Japan.
    Momiji Nishiya of Japan.

Sport

Olympics

Momiji Nishiya, 13, wins first Olympic women’s street skateboarding gold

Nishiya triumphs ahead of Brazil's Rayssa Leal, also 13, to complete street skateboarding double for Japan

The National

July 26, 2021

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Momiji Nishiya made history at the age of just 13 to become the first women’s Olympic street skateboarding champion.

Nishiya's triumph comes a day after Yuto Horigome won the men’s competition for the host nation as she finished ahead of Brazil’s Rayssa Leal, also 13.

The sport, making its Olympic debut, has already taken these Games by storm and the sight of these two youngster battling it out for gold only added to the drama at the Ariake Urban Sports Park.

Nishiya finished with a score of 15.26 compared to 14.64 for Leal, who was looking to become the youngest ever Olympic champion but instead had to settle for being the youngest medallist in 85 years.

Japan’s Funa Nakayama, 16, completed an all-teenage podium with a score of 14.64.

"I welled up in tears because I was beyond happy," Nishiya said, describing the moment when she realised she had won gold.

Though Nishiya said she was "stressed out" after initially stumbling and missing key landings on her first two tricks, she landed her final three, earning 4.66 on her fourth, bringing her total above Brazilian prodigy Leal.

In a surprise twist, Nishiya's Japanese team mate, Aori Nishimura, 19, struggled after repeatedly stumbling in the finals and coming last. Nishimura currently holds the No. 1 ranking according to Worldskate.


Updated: July 26, 2021, 6:52 AM