Last year, Australia’s teenage skate sensation Arisa Trew became the first woman to land a 720, two full rotations while mid-air, in competition. In May, Trew continued her trajectory by becoming the first woman to land a 900, two and a half rotations.
On Tuesday, in the late afternoon sun at the iconic Place de la Concorde in central Paris, Trew continued her history-making streak. In the women’s park event, Trew became the first Australian woman to win an Olympic skateboarding gold medal – joining compatriot Keegan Palmer, who won gold in Tokyo and will defend his men’s crown on Wednesday. Trew, just 14, becomes the youngest Australian Olympic gold medallist – a remarkable achievement given the nation’s storied history at the Games.
After Trew landed her 900, legendary skater Tony Hawk congratulated her on social media: “Glass ceilings are so 2023.” The American, who pioneered the sport, was in the stands in Paris. “She’s leading the way of what’s possible in skateboarding and in women’s skateboarding,” he said. “And we’re just lucky to have her. That run right there could have won any event.”
The Australian won ahead of Japan’s Cocona Hiraki, who collected silver, and Great Britain’s Sky Brown of Team GB, who was third – a repeat of her bronze medal in Tokyo.
Held at a makeshift venue overlooking the Luxor Obelisk, with a view out to the Grand Palais, there were spills and thrills aplenty as the park skateboarding got under way. Trew, decked out in bright pink knee pads and a helmet, looked ready for business – as she waited for her first run, standing in front of the Olympic rings, skateboard pointing to the sky.
The Australian had entered the Olympics in strong form, winning qualifying events in Shanghai and Budapest. But she looked somewhat shaky in the preliminaries earlier on Tuesday, only qualifying in sixth of eight. The pressure built when Trew came unstuck on her first run, a big opening 540 followed by a Madonna before she fell to the ground. An excellent first run from Hiraki, scored at 91.98, only added to the occasion.
On her second run, Trew showed the composure that had many considering her the pre-Games favourite. She began with another big 540, before closing out the run without a wobble, earning a 90.11. It was enough to move Trew into the medal placings – and by the end of the field’s second runs, the Australian was ranked third.
It all came down to the final run, and Trew held nothing back. “I was just thinking on my third run that I had to land it no matter what,” she said afterwards. “I need to land this run.”
Trew began with a bang: a McTwist 540 was followed by a body variable 540. She showed technical excellence and stylish movement throughout the run, ending with a noseblunt revert. The judges duly rewarded the run, with a score of 93.18 moving her into first. Trew was mobbed by her competitors in a show of touching comradery. The Australian then endured a nervous wait as the five remaining skaters had their last runs, but no-one could match Trew’s theatrics on the skateboard.
“It was just crazy, and so exciting,” she said after the medal ceremony. “I couldn’t believe it when I knew that I was the winner of the Olympics. This being my first Olympics – it’s just insane.”
Trew said she had tried to treat the event like any other event. “I wasn’t really nervous – I just need to think it’s another skate comp and have fun with all my friends and skate my best. All I really wanted to do was land a solid run.”
Trew, who is Japanese-Australian, started skating at the age of seven. She took up the sport as an alternative to surfing, having found the conditions too cold in winter while in the water with her father. Trew said she was proud of her heritage. “My Mum is Japanese and I love Japan and all the Japanese skaters are crazy good,” she said.
For the diminutive skater, who only turned 14 in May, the gold medal looked outsized around her neck. “It’s super cool that I’ve won the gold medal – it’s been a dream, I’m so excited,” she said. “It’s a little bit heavier than I thought, but it’s like – beautiful.”
