Of teen prodigies & an old warhorse
Tokyo, July 26: On the Olympic podium stood three teenage girls — 13, 13 and 16 — with weighty gold, silver and bronze medals around their young necks, rewards for having landed tricks on their skateboards that most kids their age only get to see on Instagram.
After decades in the shadows of men’s skateboarding, the future for the sport’s daring, trailblazing women suddenly looked brighter than ever at the Tokyo Games on Monday.
It’s anyone’s guess how many young girls tuned in to watch Momiji Nishiya of Japan win the debut Olympic skateboarding event for women, giving the host nation a sweep of golds in the street event after Yuto Horigome won the men’s event.
But around the world, girls trying to convince their parents that they, too, should be allowed to skate can now point to the 13-year-old from Osaka as an Olympic-sized example of skateboarding’s possibilities. The silver went to Rayssa Leal, also 13 — Brazil’s second silver in skateboarding after Kelvin Hoefler finished in second place on Sunday in the men’s event.
AT 58, AGE DRIVING FORCE FOR ALRASHIDI
Age is not just a number but also a driving force in Abdullah Alrashidi’s quest for doing things as rare as winning an Olympic medal at 58 and activities as striking as shooting in the sport’s showpiece wearing an Arsenal FC shirt.
The seven-time Olympian claimed the bronze medal in the men’s skeet event and soon after pulling off what not many have in the history of Olympics, promised to go for gold at 2024 Paris. , by which time he will have become a sexagenarian.
“I am 58 years old. I am the oldest shooter and the bronze medal is worth more than gold for me. I am very happy for this medal, but I hope, at the next Olympics, gold medal. Paris!” he said.
“I’m not lucky enough to win the gold medal, but I am happy with the bronze medal and, with Allah’s help.”