Article by Samantha Rogers & Chris Robinson, courtesy of The West Australian.
Skateboarding sensation Arisa Trew says it feels “like a dream” to become the youngest-ever Australian to stand on the podium at an Olympic Games after her gold medal effort in Paris.
At 14 years and 86 days old, the Queenslander broke the 68-year record set by swimmer Sandra Morgan in 1956.
Morgan was 14 years and 184 days old when she claimed gold in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay at the Melbourne Games, alongside Dawn Fraser, Faith Leech and Lorraine Crapp.
The youngest member of the Australian contingent in Paris, Trew overcame a shaky start that included an early fall to stun the field in just the second instalment of Olympic skateboarding after the sport’s debut in Tokyo three years ago.
“I got told by a few people that I’m Australia’s youngest gold medallist, which is pretty insane,” Trew said after taking out the skateboarding park final event.
“And really cool, because that’s, like, who I’m representing. It’s just amazing.
“It’s just super cool that I have won the gold medal because it has been like a dream.”
Trew’s early stumble – leading to a lowly score of 35.53 – didn’t dissuade her as she returned with a vengeance in her second run, producing a score of 90.11 to roar back into contention.
It put her second, behind Japan’s Cocona Hiraki, who put up the score to beat with her first run – a 91.98. Great Britain’s Sky Brown then pushed Trew into third position with a 91.60.
The bronze medal currently in her hand and a pink helmet on her head, Trew delivered on her third and final ride highlighted by a 540 – a trick with one-and-a-half rotations in mid-air – to secure a massive score of 93.18 to move herself into gold medal position.
Trew then endured a nervous wait as her rivals came up agonisingly short, including Hiraki notching 92.63 to snag silver.
“It’s really crazy, I’m just so excited. It’s just so many emotions at once,” Trew said.
“I fell on my first run and it’s just annoying when you fall on your first run because you always want the first safety run.
“But my coach just said ‘you’ve got to go all out’ and I was like, ‘yep, who cares. All or nothing’.”
The youngest on Australia’s team in Paris and the nation’s seventh-youngest Olympian in history, Trew captured the attention of not just the Aussie public, but skateboarding royalty, too.
The sport’s most iconic name, trailblazer Tony Hawk, praised Trew’s efforts as “epic”.
“She’s leading the way of what’s possible in skateboarding and in women’s skateboarding,” he said. “We’re just lucky to have her.”
Trew said the words of a legend meant plenty to her.
“It’s super cool to hear it from Tony, because he’s such an inspiration to everyone and no one would be here without what he did in skateboarding,” she said.
Trew’s parents Simon and Aiko were lost for words in the wake of their teenager’s win as they watched in the stands.
“We can’t believe it. It’s crazy, absolutely crazy,” Simon said.
“It’s just somebody who loves skateboarding and having fun… and and just being active and having a good time.
“That’s all we’ve ever encouraged her to do.”
Trew’s gold-medal feats followed a shaky qualifying session when the Queensland teen qualified for the final ranked six of the eight skaters.
But her triumph continues an eye-catching stretch of form after she won Olympic qualifying events in Shanghai and Budapest to punch her ticket to Paris.
The victory for Trew, who started skateboarding seven years ago, follows her winning this year’s Laureus World Sports Award for Action Sportsperson of the Year.
Last year she became the first female skateboarder to successfully execute a 720 trick, which involves two full rotations, in a competition.
Australia’s youngest Olympian is rower Ian Johnston, who was aged 13 years and 75 days old when he competed in coxed fours at the 1960 Rome Games.
