Sky Brown, 13, becomes Team GB’s youngest ever Olympic medallist

Britain's Sky Brown reacts during the women's park final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Sports Park Skateboarding in Tokyo on August 04, 2021. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP) (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)

Thirteen-year-old Sky Brown has become Great Britain’s youngest ever Olympic medallist.

The teenager claimed the bronze medal in the women’s skateboard park event at the Tokyo Games.

How the final unfolded

In a remarkable finish, Brown kick flipped her way into the history books by posting a score of 56.47 in her third and final attempt to come in behind Sakura Yosozumi and her 12-year-old Japanese counterpart Kokona Hiraki.

Yosozumi, 19, topped the podium with a score of 60.09, while Hiraki’s 59.04 proved enough for her to claim silver – eclipsing Brown to become the youngest Olympic medallist in 85 years.

Brown’s achievement is all the more stunning considering the fractured skull and broken bones she suffered during a horrific fall in training last year.

Why Sky Brown decided to represent Team GB

Brown was born in Miyazaki, Japan, to a Japanese mother and British father.

She competed at the US Open in 2016 at the age of eight, and first elected to compete for Great Britain in 2018.

Brown, who speaks fluent Japanese, told the AFP news agency that that she decided to represent Great Britain because “the British Skateboarding Association, they told me 'no pressure, just have fun and get out there’."

‘It was a super sick final’

Brown was delighted with her bronze medal, telling the BBC: “It’s incredible, it feels unreal. I’m so happy to be here.

“I fell twice, that made the last (run) even better. It was a super sick final. It was insane.”

Asked what she planned to do next, she replied: “Hang out with some friends and party.”

Instagram, YouTube fame and Dancing With The Stars

Brown arrived at the Games with plenty of profile, having won the US version of Dancing With The Stars: Juniors in 2018.

She also has over 1m followers on Instagram and her YouTube videos have been watched thousands of times.

Brown expressed her ambition to achieve the almost unprecedented feat of competing in two sports – skateboarding and surfing – at the Games, something from which she was subsequently dissuaded.