Sports

History is made in Tokyo: This 13-year-old becomes the youngest-ever to win Gold after 85 years!

By alagu, 26 July, 2021
Tokyo Olympics 2021, Olympics

History is made in the Tokyo Olympics and the host is filled with sparkling waves after the Japanese athletes are making the country cheer with remarkable milestones. Carving history, Japan's Momiji Nishiya has become one of the youngest individual Olympic champions. Nishiya is 13-year-old and on Monday, she won the Gold Medal in the inaugural women's skateboarding competition. The 2020 Olympics had introduced several sports including skateboarding and karate. 

Making her Olympic debut at 13 and 330 days in the Tokyo games and contesting in the debut Olympic sport of skateboarding, Nishiya has got a significant feather to her cap by winning the Gold medal in the competition, adding another Gold to Japan's tally and becoming the first youngest-ever Olympian to win the Gold medal in Olympics after 85 years. US Diver Marjorie Gestring remains the youngest individual Olympic champion after winning the Gold Medal in the 3m springboard at the 1936 Berlin Games at 13 years and 268 days. 

Nishiya had finished ahead of Brazil's Rayssa Leal - who is at 13 years and 203 days have become the youngest-ever individual Olympic Champion. 16-year-old Japan's Funa Nakayama has won the Bronze Medal in women's skateboarding competition and Alexis Sablone of the United States takes fourth place in the competition. While Japan is celebrating the milestone, the three award winners are being appreciated for their courage at a young age. 

The medals around their necks would unequivocally shed a ray of hope for millions of women across the globe with the determination of entering and winning the Olympics. As Osaka-born Nishiya has written a history, it will give a crucial push for women skaters to sparkle in the world's biggest sporting event. After winning the gold medal at 13, Nishiya said, "I am happy that a skater from the same country as me gets a medal." 

"I get nervous and lonely if there is no one from my country or no one to speak to. I was so nervous when I am with a competitor like Funa who is from my country and can talk with me. She is a friend of mine and also a rival", Nishiya added. Funa Nakayama said that she wants to win in Paris 2024 too. Nishiya starred in the tricks section to score 15.26 and give the hosts a clean sweep of the street discipline as skateboarding makes its Olympic debut.

Skateboarding is one of the four sports making their debut in Tokyo, along with surfing, sport climbing, and karate, and these sports were inducted with the view of bringing the Olympics to younger audiences. In skateboarding, skaters each have two 45-second runs on the equipment and five shots at a one-off trick. Their best four scores out of the seven make up their final total. 

 

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