Rayssa LEAL

Brazil

Skateboarding

Olympic Medals

Games Participations2

First Olympic GamesTokyo 2020

Year of Birth2008

Social Media

Biography

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in July 2021, a beaming 13-year-old with a youthful face and braces proudly bites on a silver medal.

Rayssa Leal's infectious joy and unbridled enthusiasm shone through after becoming one of the youngest Olympic medallists in history.

"It’s like I’m in an amusement park and I’m just having fun," she told Olympics.com, reflecting on her joie de vivre and winning mentality. "Because I am doing what I like and what was my dream to always do. So just getting to championships and being with my family and with my friends is great," she explained.

Rayssa Leal: From Viral Skateboarding Sensation to Olympic Success

Born in Brazil in 2008, Leal entered the global spotlight through the power of viral videos and social media. A short clip of seven-year-old Leal flawlessly executing a heelflip down a set of stairs while wearing a bright blue tutu as part of a fairy princess costume captivated audiences across social media platforms. Skateboarding megastar Tony Hawk joined the social media frenzy, praising the young prodigy and elevating her online fame.

Beyond the online buzz, she proved herself to be a serious competitor. At just 11, she made history as the youngest street skater to win a women’s final on the Street League Skateboarding World Tour in Los Angeles, surpassing the then-world number one, Pamela Rosa.

After her X-Games debut in 2019, Leal's big breakthrough came at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where she upset the odds to take silver in the street skateboarding event.

In 2022, the Brazilian star secured her first X-Games title, winning the street event at X-Games Chiba. She then swept the Street League Skateboarding series, completing her triumph in front of an exuberant home crowd in Rio de Janeiro.

Rayssa Leal: Using a sports psychologist to tackle her fears

Despite the mounting pressure, Leal remains grounded, leaning on the unwavering support of her parents and a sports psychologist who helped her overcome mental obstacles and fears.

“It's been really important to me. I was so scared of contests, always thinking, 'But what if I don't do well?' I was afraid of the obstacles, of them being too high. I know I can go for it, but my mind would be like 'don't try," she detailed to Olympics.com.

“My psychologist has been helping me unblock that, and thank God it's been going really well. We've been together for almost a year now, and it was one of the best things that happened to me as an athlete," she added.

Leal's impact extends beyond her sporting achievements, as she inspires aspiring skateboarders of all ages. Her infectious passion for the sport and commitment to joyfully pursuing her dreams have solidified her status as an icon in the world of skateboarding. Despite the scrutiny of being a role model for others, Leal doesn't let expectations weigh her down. On the contrary, she embraces her role as an inspiration:

“I'm really happy to be an inspiration, not just to people my age, but to people older than me as well.," she explained

"I'm always really happy when little girls come up to me and tell me they’ve started riding because of me. That they saw me, liked it, and asked their parents to let them skateboard."

With her sights set on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Leal is poised to continue leaving an indelible mark on the sport, one joyful trick at a time.