Deccan Chronicle

Flying into the Sky

Sky Brown, the youngest profession­al skateboard­er, who won bronze at Tokyo 2020, is already worth a million bucks

- DC CORRESPOND­ENT

She just turned 13 years old a month ago, but already, is worth 50 lakh USD, has about 10 lakh followers on Instagram, is in ads with Serena Williams and Simone Biles, has several endorsemen­ts running with big brands including Hurley, Van and Billabong!

As if none of that was enough for a portfolio, Sky Brown — the youngest Nikesponso­red athlete in the world as well as the youngest profession­al skateboard­er in the world — has just won herself a bronze medal in the skateboard­ing event at Tokyo 2020.

Sky, who is the youngest Briton to win an Olympic medal, came in third behind the 12-year-old Japanese, Kokona Hiraki, who won the silver and Japan’s 19-year-old Sakura Yosozumi, who skateboard­ed to win the gold.

Born to British skateboard­ing father Stewart and Japanese mother Miko, Sky had made it to

“It was a super sick final. All the girls were ripping it; it was insane. I’m so stoked... it’s unbelievab­le. I’m so happy to be on the podium with these guys; it’s like a dream. I can’t wait to show the medal to my family and friends.”

Tokyo 2020 and clinched the bronze a mere 14 months since a horrifying crash while training in California. According to several reports in various western publicatio­ns, including the online platform of Daily Mail, during the training last year, she’d flown off her skateboard at the top of a high ramp, landing head-first on hard ground. Sky, who was unconsciou­s and had to be airlifted to a hospital, had fractured her skull and broken her hand and wrist in the accident. But the fighter came through it all miraculous­ly. Even at the Olympics, Sky fought through with nerves of steel after she’d failed her first two routines in the final of the event. Speaking about the event in her very teenage-speak, she told newsperson­s, “It was a super sick final. All the girls were ripping it; it was insane. I’m so stoked. I can’t believe it. I’m so happy to be on the podium with these guys; the medal feels unreal. I can’t wait to show the medal to my family and friends.”

 ??  ?? Sky Brown
Sky Brown

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India