13-year-old skater Nishiya- Japan’s youngest gold medallist

July 26, 2021

13 years old Japanese skateboarder Momiji Nishiya won the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She became one of the youngest gold medalists ever at the Olympic Games.

Highlights

Nishiya won the gold on 26^th July, 2021 in the women’s street competition which debuted for the first time in Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Yuto Horigome of Japan won the men’s competition on 25^th July, 2021. This makes Japan the gold medal holder in both the categories.
Nishiya landed her tricks perfectly to beat out Brazil’s Rayssa Leal, also just 13 years of age.
Over 50% of the women participating in the final competition were in their teens.
Funa Nakayama of Japan, who clinched the bronze medal, is 16 years of age.
Both Leal and Nishiya are the youngest ever medalists for their respective countries of Brazil and Japan.

Who is the youngest gold medalist?

Marjorie Gestring, is the youngest gold medal winner of the Olympics. At the 1936 Berlin Games she dominated the women’s diving competition. During that time she was only 13 years and 268 days old.