Sky Brown has no limits as she eyes Olympics
11-year-old skateboarder could set record
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. • Sky Brown, the 11- year- old skateboarding prodigy who is poised to become Britain’s youngest ever Olympian at the 2020 Tokyo Games, has already amassed an enviable resume.
Pro skater, surfing phenom, Dancing with the Stars juniors champion and determined philanthropist, Brown is transforming ideas about what the next generation is capable of doing.
At a sun- soaked skate park in Southern California last week she took on a new role — director.
Standing at the edge of a vertigo- inducing bowl, Brown guided two veteran camera people on where best to position themselves to capture her tricks.
Brown, who was born in Japan to a British father and Japanese mother, took a big step toward making Team GB’S Olympic squad with a third- place finish at the world championships in Brazil this month.
If she qualifies, Brown will be 12 years and 12 days old when the Games begin in July, eclipsing the record set by swimmer Margery Hinton, who was 13 years and 43 days at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam.
Brown’s parents Stu and Mieko initially thought the pressure of competing in Tokyo, where skateboarding will be making it Olympic debut, would be too much for her.
But Brown said they had a change of heart after speaking to Skateboard GB chair Lucy Adams.“She said there is no pressure, just get out there and have fun.”
“And that’s the way I skate. I don’t really think of it as a training thing. I think of it more as my happy place. It’s like a playground for me.”
Brown is passionate about making sure that playground, which has historically been the domain of men and boys, is open to everyone.
“Sometimes girls are scared to do what boys are doing because they’re like, it’s a boy’s sport. But actually they can do anything that boys can do,” she said.
“Why I want to be in the Olympics is to inspire girls and hopefully, when they see me, this little girl doing these crazy tricks, hopefully when they see me they’ ll think, maybe I can do that too.”
Brown has forged a bond with other up- and- coming female skateboarders like Japan’s Sakura Yosozumi, 17, who practised alongside her days after claiming a silver medal at the world championships.
Skateboarding great and Brown’s mentor, Christian Hosoi, said beyond an abundance of natural talent, her passion for helping others is what makes her unique.
Brown has travelled to Cambodia with Skateistan, a non- profit organization that promotes education and teaches skateboarding in impoverished areas.
A trip to Skateistan’s school in Afghanistan is now in the works.
“What sets her apart is her wanting to help people and girls,” said the 51- year- old Hosoi.
“She’s an amazing skateboarder, dancer, she’s got a million dollar smile ... but her philanthropy and what she does to help girls around the world is incredible.
“I love to hear her messages and that’s what I love about Sky. She wants to change the world.”