Australia’s 14th gold medal of the Paris Olympics has gone to 14-year-old Alisa Trew, who also earned the title of Australia’s youngest-ever Olympic champion.
Trew won the women’s park final in skateboarding at La Concorde skate park, moving into the top position during the final after posting a score of 93.18 on her second run. Japan’s Cocona Kiraki won silver, and Great Britain’s Sky Brown won bronze.
The final was watched by thousands in the stands, including the legendary Tony Hawk who said Trew “absolutely deserved” the win.
At 14 and 86 days, she comes in ahead of Sandra Morgan, who was 14 years and 184 days when she won gold in 1956 as part of the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team.
Trew is the seventh-youngest Australian Olympian and the youngest member of the current Australian team.
Commenting on her win, Trew said it felt like a dream. “It’s just like, super cool that I’ve won the gold medal, because it’s been like a dream.”
Tony Hawke described Trew as “leading the way on what’s possible in skateboarding.” She is unique in the sport in that she can ride both goofy and natural, meaning she can change stances in the middle of a run.
“We are lucky to have her. She did a couple of 540 variations, including a McTwist and a body variable five, and that’s not something you generally see in one run.”
Trew heard Hawke’s observations and described him as “an inspiration” who has pushed the sport to new levels.
The addition of skateboarding at the Olympics is producing a number of younger champions, along with what appears to be a friendly atmosphere among athletes and appreciation for what different people can do.
Trew noted this skateboarding community, including her besties in the sport Ruby Trew (no relation) and Chloe Covell. “All the girls supporting each other just makes it so much more fun,” she said.
“I’m just going to keep skating and pushing myself and having fun with all these girls.”