Sakura Yosozumi wins women's park skateboarding gold medal at Tokyo 2020

August 4, 2021 | Skateboarding
Sakura Yosozumi: the first-ever women's park skateboarding Olympic gold medalist | Photo: Shutterstock

Sakura Yosozumi claimed the women's park skateboarding gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The Japanese athlete proved she was the in-form athlete of the whole event after landing two consecutive 540s complemented by several solid grinds and slides.

"I am really happy to clinch the park skateboarding gold medal for the first time in the Olympic Games," expressed Yosozumi.

The 19-year-old athlete from Wakayama believes those back-to-back one-and-a-half-rotations boosted her confidence and helped her climb the highest podium spot.

"I believe that the strong Japanese performances in the Olympics will make skateboarding even more popular in my country," she added.

The brand new concrete skatepark also witnessed another outstanding achievement.

Kokona Hiraki became the youngest silver medallist in Olympic history. The young Japanese powerhouse is 12 years old and finished just 1.05 points behind the gold medalist.

"I enjoyed the heats and the competition, and I am happy to get the silver medal. I focused on my runs and wasn't concerned with my opponents," revealed Hiraki.

The bronze medal went to British skateboarder Sky Brown.

Despite a few falls, Brown was able to keep her composure and secure a historic medal for her country at the Ariake Urban Sports Park.

In the end, the British got emotional and shed a few tears.

"It's unbelievable, and it feels like a dream. After falling twice, I told myself, "I got to make it.' I am really happy because I didn't really think I was going to make it," concluded Sky Brown.

Tokyo 2020 | Women's Park Skateboarding Final Results

1. Sakura Yosozumi (JPN) 60.09
2. Kokona Hiraki (JPN) 59.04
3. Sky Brown (GBR) 56.47

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