Coco Yoshizawa won gold and Liz Akama silver as Japan continued its domination of Olympic women’s street skateboarding at the Paris Games on Sunday.
Having topped qualifying for the eight-woman medal round, the 14-year-old Yoshizawa once again came up big as she outdueled 15-year-old compatriot Akama at the picturesque La Concorde urban sports complex in central Paris.
The result kept the gold medal in Japanese hands after Momiji Nishiya won the women’s street crown when skateboarding made its Olympic debut three years ago at the Tokyo Games.
Japan’s Coco Yoshizawa performs in the women’s street skateboarding final at the Paris Olympics at La Concorde urban sports complex in Paris on July 28, 2024. (Kyodo)
Japan’s Coco Yoshizawa reacts after her performance in the women’s street skateboarding final at the Paris Olympics at La Concorde urban sports complex in Paris on July 28, 2024. (Kyodo)
Yoshizawa, who took up skateboarding at age 7, totaled 272.75 for her best of two runs in the final combined with her two highest scores from the best trick segment, while Akama registered 265.95.
Tokyo Olympic runner-up Rayssa Leal scored 253.37 for bronze backed by the loudest support of the day, courtesy of a vocal throng of yellow-and-green-clad Brazilian fans.
Japan’s Coco Yoshizawa is pictured after winning the gold medal in the women’s street skateboarding final at the Paris Olympics at La Concorde urban sports complex in Paris on July 28, 2024. (Kyodo)
Hopes of a Japanese podium sweep ended when Tokyo bronze medalist Funa Nakayama failed to register a score on any of her five best trick attempts in the final.
Yoshizawa clinched gold with her penultimate best trick attempt, nailing a massive big flip front boardslide that earned 96.49, the highest score of the segment, and catapulted her past Akama on the leaderboard.
Japan’s Coco Yoshizawa (L) and Liz Akama pose with their medals at the Paris Olympics after winning the gold and silver, respectively, in the women’s street skateboarding at La Concorde urban sports complex in Paris on July 28, 2024. (Kyodo)
Akama had established herself as the woman to beat earlier in the final by scoring 89.26 for her second run and immediately following with a 270 switch front boardslide on her first best trick attempt that netted 92.62.
Yoshizawa’s come-from-behind victory was reminiscent of last month’s Olympic Qualifier Series final in Budapest, where she secured her ticket to Paris and led a Japanese sweep after jumping from fourth place to first on her final trick.
“There were more spectators than in previous competitions, and the support helped me do my best,” she said.
Japan’s Liz Akama performs in the women’s street skateboarding final at the Paris Olympics at La Concorde urban sports complex in Paris on July 28, 2024. (Kyodo)
“I was able to come from behind to win in Budapest and I’m happy to have come from behind to win at the Olympics as well.”
Having come agonizingly close to gold, Akama was nevertheless “deeply moved” to be taking home silver.
“It was my dream to win a medal at the Paris Olympics, so I’m very happy,” she said. “I think I’ve been able to pay back a little bit of the support I’ve received. I’ll do my best to win gold at the next Olympics.”
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