Another women's skateboarding event produced another teenage podium as the women's park contest went off at Paris' Place de la Concorde.
With defending Olympic gold medalist and world No. 3 Sakura Yosozumi eliminated in the preliminary round, the final promised to be an action-packed event as multiple contenders vied to take her title. And indeed, there was stiff competition amongst the three young podium finishers.
Arisa Trew claimed the Olympic champion title with a jaw-dropping final-run score of 93.18. The 14-year-old's run included an impressive 360, McTwist, body varial 540, kickflip indy, switch melon grab, and noseblunt. With the win, Trew — making her Olympic debut — gave Australia its first women's skateboard park medal.
Japan's Cocona Hiraki wasn't trailing too far behind. As the top qualifier, 15-year-old Hiraki dropped in last and had the audience sitting on the edge of their seats to see if she could better Trew's score. Although she fell short with her score of 92.63, her upgraded run — which included a gap to feeble grind, backside air, and kickflip indy — boosted her into second place. Her compatriot Hinano Kusaki attempted difficult tricks but couldn't land a clean run and finished in eighth place.
Sky Brown of Great Britain was also a force to be reckoned with. After recovering from a dislocated shoulder and knee surgery in the leadup to these Games, Brown's third run — which consisted of an alley-oop, tuck knee, backside lipslide, kickflip indy, and stalefish — earned a 92.31, a score which held up for a bronze medal.
Hiraki and Brown both repeated their results from the Tokyo Games three years ago, where they also won respective silver and bronze medals.
American Bryce Wettstein headed into the final as the No. 2 qualifier. She didn't appear fazed by the pressure of the competition as she played a ukulele during the preliminary round and later performed a cartwheel on her skateboard. Wettstein had a strong start to the final — she scored an 88.12 with her first attempt, which included a noseblunt into a gap to lipslide, handplant, and Madonna into disaster — and ultimately finished sixth.
Fellow Team USA skateboarders Ruby Lilley and Minna Stess placed 13th and 19th respectively and didn't advance past the preliminary round.
Women's skateboard park medalists
🥇Arisa Trew (AUS)
🥈Cocona Hiraki (JPN)
🥉Sky Brown (GBR)