Though it was a bronze medal, the celebration felt like a golden triumph. Brazilian superstar Rayssa Leal electrified the Paris Olympics during the women’s street skateboarding final.
As she nailed her crucial last trick, a deafening roar erupted from the green-and-gold-clad fans in the stands. In a dramatic leap from fifth to third place, Leal secured her second Olympic medal, as reported by CNN.
Leading the pack at the Paris Olympics women’s street skateboarding final were Japanese skaters Coco Yoshizawa, who clinched gold with a massive score on her fourth trick, and Liz Akama, the early leader.
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The podium, much like in Tokyo, was dominated by teenagers: 14-year-old Yoshizawa, 15-year-old Akama, and 16-year-old Brazilian Leal.
Leal, Brazil’s youngest Olympic medalist from her silver win three years ago, secured bronze in dramatic fashion with a final score of 88.83, surpassing China’s Cui Chenxi.
“It was like a gold medal because … she had to make it,” Brazilian fan Michelle Arruda, who bought tickets for the women’s street skateboarding to watch Leal a year ago, told CNN Sport. “It was a lot of emotion and felt like the Olympic spirit – you have to be here to understand what it is.
“You get so nervous, it’s like you are there with them … We were literally praying, holding hands. It was like: ‘She’s going to make it.’ I don’t know how, but I really believed that she was going to make it.”
Leal skyrocketed to fame at age seven when a video of her skateboarding in a blue fairy princess costume went viral, shared by skateboarding legend Tony Hawk who admired her “fairytale heelflip.”
Dubbed the “fadinha do skate” or “skate fairy,” Leal’s popularity soared, attracting sponsors like Nike and Monster Energy and amassing 7 million Instagram followers.
Her stellar performance at Paris’ Urban Park, set on the Place de la Concorde, was highlighted by a 92.88 score for her first of two successful tricks, the second-highest of the final.
“When I was very young, I dreamed of becoming a skateboard athlete,” Leal told reporters. “And here I am, with a second Olympic medal from the Games. Once again, thanks God I won a medal. I’m very happy to be here.”
