PARIS — Arisa Trew delivered a technical masterpiece in her final run at the Paris Games on Tuesday to grab gold in women’s park as the 14-year-old became the first Australian woman to win an Olympic skateboarding medal.
Trew saved her best for last, delivering a gutsy and precise performance on her third and final run and was rewarded with a huge score of 93.18 to become the youngest medalist at the Paris Games.
Starting the run in the bronze medal position, Trew opened with a 360 over the box and went on to produce a pair of stunning 540s in an aggressive display that none of the other seven skateboarders in the final could match.
“I knew it was all or nothing because I had to land a really good run just to make it into the podium,” Trew told reporters.
Japan’s Cocona Hiraki won silver and Britain’s Sky Brown took bronze. Hiraki also won silver and Brown bronze in the competition at the Tokyo Games three years ago.
Hiraki, who finished first in preliminaries, said she took a daring approach on her final drop into the bowl and leaves Paris with no regrets.
“On my third run, I did a trick I’ve never completed in practice and I’m proud of myself because I made it perfectly,” the 15-year-old said through an interpreter.
Brown, who was nursing a shoulder injury, admitted it felt “throbby and sore” but said adrenaline helped push her to the podium.
“I was so hyped up that I didn’t even think about it,” said the 16-year-old Brown.
“But I definitely wanted to bring out more.”
The athletes showed great camaraderie after the results were announced, hugging and congratulating each other before packed stands on a sun-soaked day at La Concorde.
“It’s my first Olympics and sharing a podium with all these girls and just competing with everyone has been super fun,” Trew said.
Trew was thrilled to be part of a new generation pushing skateboarding to new heights.
“They’re all just shredding,” she said.
“The level has increased so much.”
Only 11 years old when skateboarding was first contested at the Tokyo Games, Trew did not compete in its Olympic debut but has been on a meteoric rise over the past two seasons.
The Gold Coast teen generated global headlines last year when she landed a 720, becoming the first female to pull off the aerial double rotation in competition.
A new champion was guaranteed after Tokyo gold medalist Sakura Yosozumi of Japan failed to qualify for the final during the preliminary rounds, which were held earlier in the day.
–Reuters, Special to Field Level Media