Young Skateboarding Sensation Defies Odds to Claim Gold at Asian Games

Thirteen-year-old Cui Chenxi became China's youngest gold medalist at the Asian Games on Wednesday, triumphing in women's skateboarding. This victory highlights the ongoing dominance of teenage girls in the sport. In interviews with various Chinese state media outlets, Cui revealed that she initially started skating on roller blades at the age of three. However, it was only three years ago, during the Covid-19 pandemic, that she took up skateboarding due to restricted outdoor activities.

Within one year, the previously inexperienced athlete began achieving podium finishes at provincial events at the professional level.

During the street event in Hangzhou, Cui, who hails from Shandong and is the youngest athlete representing the Chinese national team, successfully executed a remarkable landing off the highly challenging high rail. Competitors competing against her reportedly avoided this move, as mentioned by Reuters.

Afterwards, Cui proudly marched through Qiantang Roller Sports Center, draped in the national flag.

"This is only the start," declared Cui, expressing her intention to review her performance on video. "We must persistently persevere, aiming for the Paris Olympics, and achieve outstanding outcomes."

Zeng Wenhui, a teammate aged 18, secured the silver medal, with 16-year-old Japanese athlete Ito Miyu winning the bronze. Though skateboarding had previously debuted at the 2014 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, it gained widespread recognition as a competitive sport following its inclusion in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.

Competitors participating in the street event are tasked with executing tricks on a course filled with stairs, rails, ramps, benches, and various other obstacles. Skaters have the freedom to design their own paths and choose their maneuvers, subsequently earning scores based on two runs and five tricks to ultimately determine their final score.

Though male athletes in their late teens or early twenties commonly dominate this sport, women's skateboarding has witnessed a trend towards younger participants.

In September, Cui achieved a higher score than Tokyo 2020 Olympics bronze medalist Funa Nakayama in the WST Lausanne Streeta 2024 Paris Olympic Games qualifier finals.

China's Cui Chenxi competes in the final of the women's street skateboarding event during the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images

Supporters on Chinese social media celebrated her win on Wednesday, applauding her youth and poise. "You're the best, an optimistic, outgoing, and confident girl! You are bringing honor to our nation!" expressed one user on the Weibo platform, similar to Twitter. Meanwhile, another user lightheartedly remarked that the teenage champion reminded them of their own shortcomings during their youth.

Cuis's winning streak comes after a remarkable performance by the Philippines' nine-year-old Mazel Paris Alegado on Monday. Alegado, speaking to CNN, expressed her "pride" in being the youngest finalist to qualify for the women's park event.

According to Reuters, Margielyn Didal, who secured a gold medal for the Philippines at the 2018 Asian Games, is still only 24 years old. However, she displayed a seasoned veteran's expertise in the street event, competing against her younger opponents.

With competitors under 18 being required to wear protective equipment, Didal was the sole athlete in the final exempted from wearing a helmet or knee padding.

After sustaining an injury in the final and finishing last among the eight skaters, Didal expressed, "I don't feel old because I still have a playful side, I just want to have fun." She further added, "Though I feel a bit left out seeing everyone wearing helmets and knee pads." According to Reuters.

The womens park event was ultimately won by Japans Hinano Kusaki, 15, while Chinese pair Li Yujuan, 20, and Mao Jiasi, 15, took silver and bronze.

Li was the oldest among the eight finalists.

Womens skateboarding gained global recognition during the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, with its medalists impressively young. In fact, the womens gold medalists were even younger than the two male gold medalists, who were 22 and 20 years old.

At just 19 years old, Sakura Yosozumi triumphed in the womens park event, while her 12-year-old Japanese teammate Kokona Hiraki and 13-year-old Sky Brown from Great Britain also secured medals. In the street event, 13-year-old Momiji Nishiya became Japans youngest-ever Olympic champion, with 13-year-old Rayssa Leal from Brazil finishing in second place and 16-year-old Nakayama claiming third.

Berry Wang contributed to this report