Team GB's Sky Brown Wins Skateboarding Bronze
Sky Brown, the 16-year-old skateboarding sensation from Great Britain, clinched another Olympic bronze in a nail-biting women’s skateboarding park final in Paris. Brown, who previously won bronze in Tokyo at just 13, overcame a dislocated shoulder and other injuries to deliver a stellar performance, scoring 92.31 in her final run. Despite her injuries, Brown remained determined, saying, "I felt the adrenaline and was just hyped up. I didn't even think about it."
Australia's 14-year-old Arisa Trew claimed gold with a score of 93.18, while Japan’s Kokona Hiraki secured silver with 92.63. The competition saw a new champion as defending titleholder Sakura Yosozumi failed to advance. Trew's impressive performance marked her as the youngest medalist at Paris 2024.
Brown’s journey to this medal was anything but smooth. Just last week, she dislocated her shoulder during a fall in the preliminary round. However, she vowed to "fight through" the pain and delivered a display brimming with grit and flair despite heavy strapping on her shoulder. "This journey has been crazy with lots of downs but lots of ups," Brown reflected. "Since Tokyo I have learned a lot."
Her determination was evident during the final. After a relaxed opening run scoring 80.57, she executed increasingly complex tricks, landing a kickflip indy in her second run to score 91.60. Her third and final run pushed her score to 92.31, securing her place on the podium.
Brown's resilience was on full display as she battled through her injuries. She admitted the fall during qualifying was "definitely scary," but she chose to push through for her team and supporters. Her father, Stu Brown, shared that she felt her shoulder pop out and back in during her qualifying runs, but she kept going to avoid being pulled from the competition.
In the final, Brown initially fell again after her first run but quickly got back on her feet. Unlike her competitors, she chose not to practise between runs, focusing instead on delivering her best in her next attempts. Her second run dazzled the crowd, and her third run solidified her spot on the podium.
Brown's teammate, Lola Tambling, did not qualify for the final, placing all medal hopes on Brown’s shoulders. After an intense hour and a half with Team GB physiotherapists, Brown came out strong, showing her signature determination and skill.
Despite missing out on gold and silver by narrow margins, Brown's bronze is a remarkable achievement, especially considering her tumultuous build-up to the Games, which included a serious knee injury and a shoulder dislocation. "I wanted to keep it a little safe and didn’t want to hurt it even more. I did the best I could do," she said, smiling.
Looking ahead, Brown is already setting her sights on future goals. Although she narrowly missed qualifying for surfing in Paris, she remains optimistic about her chances in the next Olympics. "I know I’ve got LA [2028] ahead, so I’m going to aim for that and get two gold medals for GB," she promised. After her incredible performance in Paris, few would doubt her.
