British teen Sky Brown is skateboarding world champion again
British Teen Sky Brown Secures Second Skateboarding World Title
At 17, Sky Brown, a British teen, secured her second skateboarding world title, having first won it at 14. The 2024 competition in São Paulo, Brazil, saw her triumph after a dramatic finish that left organizers scrambling to adjust the schedule.
The event, originally postponed due to persistent rain and unfavorable weather, allowed only two of the four planned runs to be completed. With heavy rainfall continuing, officials opted to finalize results based on the existing competition, rather than risk further disruption.
“This feels huge and I’m so thankful,” Brown shared, reflecting on her victory alongside her father, former skateboarder Stewart Brown. She also expressed hope for global peace, adding, “There are bigger things and I just pray for peace for the world.”
After the contest concluded, Brown was officially named champion with a commanding lead of nearly four points at 88.16. Japan’s Mizuho Hasegawa earned silver with 84.36, while American Minna Stess claimed bronze at 83.90. Brown’s win on International Women’s Day carried special significance, as she noted, “To be a world champ on this day means a lot.”
Brown now ranks seventh globally, though 15-year-old Hasegawa, who embraced her after the event, leads the standings. The Japanese athlete had previously won a medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at age 13, making her Britain’s youngest-ever Olympic medalist. She later added another bronze in the park category at the 2024 Paris Games, just days after sustaining a shoulder injury.
Born in Miyazaki, Japan, to a Japanese mother and British father, Brown began competing internationally at eight, including the US Open in 2016. She chose to represent Great Britain in 2018, a decision that paved her path to Olympic and world success.
Olympic Expansion and Legacy
Skateboarding was introduced as a new Olympic sport in 2020, split into “park” and “street” disciplines. Brown’s victories in both categories highlight her adaptability and skill across the sport’s formats.
