Sky Brown plans to inspire young girls the world over by getting her teenage kicks at the Olympics, writes Alex Spink in Tokyo.
The 13-year-old skateboarder becomes Team GB’s youngest ever summer Olympian in the women’s park event when her sport makes its Games debut here.
She says it is a dream come true and hopes to show other kids that it is possible to make it big even when you’re small.
“Everyone from all around the world is watching and I feel like if I’m the little one, there are so many little girls out there and I could be the little one going big,” said Brown.
“Hopefully they will think they can do it as well and show the world how much fun and how great skateboarding is.”
Born in Miyazaki to an English dad and Japanese mum, Brown divides her year between Japan and the US, where she turned professional at the age of 10.
“If you go to a skatepark it’s mostly boys there,” she added. “Now there are more girls there, which is cool, but still mostly boys.
“Maybe some girls are scared to be the only ones there doing it and be judged by the boys.
“But watching the Olympics, seeing how many girls are doing the sport and how good and fun it is, they’re going to want to do it as well.”
Given that Britain’s other team member is only 14, you can imagine Bombette Martin’s surprise to be told she was the senior skater on the team.
“To be the youngest [ever British Olympian] is a crazy feeling, more than a dream come true,” said Brown, who is ranked No.3 in the world. “It’s insane. I’m so stoked.”
A child she might be, but she’s also a tough cookie. Last year she fell head first from the top of a ramp, suffering suffered multiple fractures to her skull as well as a broken arm.
“I was knocked out for 12-16 hours, it was a pretty bad accident,” she said. “But getting back on the board, I wasn’t scared at all.”
