Meet Rayssa Leal: From skateboarding fairy at 7 to Olympic medal winner at 13

Meet Rayssa Leal, the thirteen-year-old who won Silver at the Tokyo Olympics’ skateboarding event. However, the teen is not a new face. You might remember her from a 2015 viral video of a seven-year-old girl dressed as a fairy, trying to land a heelflip as she jumps stairs. After all, the memory of a small girl dressed as a fairy and skateboarding is definitely memorable.

How it started and how it’s going

The 13-year-old just won silver at the Olympics. Six years ago, a video of her trying a skateboard trick went viral when Tony Hawk, the skateboarding legend took to Twitter to share the girl’s performance in a princess costume. Now, in 2017 Hawk joins her at the Olympics supporting her. “Six years ago, he introduced me to the world of skateboarding by sharing my video wearing a fairy costume. Today, he filmed me at the Olympics,” said Leal on her Instagram.

The official Twitter handle of the Olympics used the popular How it started and How it’s going meme template to congratulate the teen. The Olympics committee’s tweet showcases the young girl as a newbie to the skateboarding world and as a professional at the Tokyo Olympics. Rayssa Leal holds one of the top three spots in the event. Additionally, they followed the tweet with an updated version of Leal winning the medal. Momiji Nishiya and Funa Nakayama, 13- and 16-year-olds are the gold and bronze winners of the same event.

“I believe in fairies, I do, I do!”

People across the world praised Leal for her achievement and efforts throughout the years. Her career has tremendously grown despite two of her unsuccessful attempts early in her career. Also, the teen came in third at the first street league skateboarding world event in 2019. However, the next time around, she bagged the first place. Leal has also participated in several skateboarding events across the world.

“I got a skateboard as a birthday present when I was 6 and I started riding it around the house. My dad had some friends who were skateboarders and I started riding with them on the street, but my skateboard was too big for me and I didn’t have that much strength in my legs yet. But I practiced a lot and I got to a point where I didn’t have so much trouble anymore,” said Leal. A Twitter user tweeted “I believe in fairies, I do, I do!” highlighting how the young girl is an inspiration to girls around the world.