Meet Rayssa Leal, a 13-year-old pro skateboarder from Brazil, who's made her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 and snatched a silver medal along the way. And if you feel like you've seen the face before, there's a pretty good reason why...
But first thing's first, let's talk about this medal snag. Rayssa competed in the Women's Street Skateboarding event, which took place on July 26th. The competition was packed with young talent, including Momiji Nishiya, who took home the gold medal and is also only 13 years old. It was a life-changing moment for Leal, who took to Instagram to share her feelings with her 5.5 million followers. "We made history," the teen wrote. "I don't know how to explain everything I'm experiencing. I only know how to thank you. Thank you G-d. Thank you family, friends, @cbskskate and to all of you who cheered a lot."
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And speaking of friends, Rayssa had a legendary friend that had been a major inspiration throughout her skateboarding career: the one and only Tony Hawk. Their unique friendship dated back to 2015, when Tony reposted a video of Rayssa skateboarding in a fairy costume. Back then, Leal was only about seven years old, but you could see the star potential. And since then, the young skateboarder continued to rise to new heights.
I don't know anything about this but it's awesome: a fairytale heelflip in Brazil by #RayssaLeal (via @oliverbarton) pic.twitter.com/uZgshHYMMT
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) September 8, 2015
All before getting a driver's license or being able to vote, Rayssa has gained international attention for her impressive Olympic debut. But even after getting on the podium, the 13-year-old was convinced that life would look the same after Tokyo 2020. "I don't want to have responsibility," she said while speaking to the press after her win. "I want to go on being the lively little girl I am for all of Brazil."
How it started: How it's going: pic.twitter.com/CgnwTnBXEn
— Olympics (@Olympics) July 26, 2021
Whatever the future may hold, we're wishing Rayssa nothing but the best. And be sure to check back soon for more viral news from this year's Summer Games in Tokyo!
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