Japan Sweeps Women's Street Skateboarding Medals at Paris Olympics

At the Paris Games, Japanese skaters Coco Yoshizawa and Liz Akama dominated the women's street skateboarding competition, with Yoshizawa winning gold and Akama taking silver. This victory marks a continuation of Japan's success in the event, following Momiji Nishiya's gold win during skateboarding's Olympic debut in Tokyo three years ago.

Coco Yoshizawa, who started skateboarding at the age of seven, exhibited her skills by earning a total of 272.75 points through her best two runs and top scores from the best trick segment. Meanwhile, 15-year-old Akama finished with a score of 265.95, closely behind her teammate. Brazilian skater Rayssa Leal also performed well, capturing the bronze with a score of 253.37, thanks to the enthusiastic support from her fans.

While hopes for a complete Japanese podium sweep faded when Funa Nakayama, the Tokyo bronze medalist, was unable to secure a score in her best trick attempts, Yoshizawa clinched victory with a stunning big flip front boardslide on her second-to-last attempt, securing the highest score of the best trick segment at 96.49. Akama established her initial lead in the finals but could not maintain it as Yoshizawa surged ahead.

Reflecting on her performance, Yoshizawa noted the support from the crowd, which fueled her momentum throughout the event, helping her recreate her previous come-from-behind victory from the Olympic Qualifier Series in Budapest. Akama, having narrowly missed out on gold, expressed her gratitude for her silver medal and stated her determination to strive for gold in future competitions.