Sky BROWN

Great Britain

Skateboarding

Olympic Medals

Games Participations2

First Olympic GamesTokyo 2020

Year of Birth2008

Social Media

Biography

At four years of age, Sky Brown's journey into the world of skateboarding was set in motion when her father shared a video capturing her passion for the sport. The clip went viral, depicting a young girl exuding joy in her skateboard gear while showcasing remarkable skills and flexibility in the park.

A decade later, at the age of 15, Sky transformed her childhood passion into a flourishing career, clinching a World Skate Park Championship medal, an Olympic medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games in 2021, and earning millions of followers on social media networks.

Sky Brown's early years and ascent to stardom

Sky was born in Miyazaki, Japan. Her mother, Mieko, is Japanese, and her father, Stuart, is British. She grew up spending countless hours at the local skate park with her little brother, Ocean, emulating skateboard tricks inspired by videos on YouTube.

Sky's exceptional talent was highlighted when she became the youngest Vans US Open 2016 participant at age eight. Two years later, she made her professional debut, and at just 11 years old, she became the first female skater to land a frontside 540.

In 2018, Sky not only made waves in the skating world but also showcased her diverse skills by winning the US TV show "Dancing with the Stars: Juniors" and securing a sponsorship deal with Nike, placing her among the esteemed ranks of female Nike-sponsored athletes like Serena Williams, Simone Biles, and Megan Rapinoe.

Sky Brown's comeback after life-threatening injury

Sky Brown's journey was not without its challenges. A few months before the Tokyo Olympics, she faced a harrowing training injury, plummeting approximately 15 feet from a halfpipe ramp. The fall resulted in severe injuries, including multiple skull fractures, a broken left arm, and lacerations to her heart and lungs.

“I held her in my arms, and she bled helplessly, moaning in and out of consciousness, waiting for the helicopter to take her to the hospital,” her father wrote on Instagram, describing the incident.

“We spent the night sick and terrified, not knowing if Sky was going to make it through the night, as the ICU team tried to get her conscious and kept her alive.”

Described as a 'miracle' by doctors, Sky's resilience and positive attitude fueled her recovery. The young phenom participated in the delayed Tokyo Games, becoming Great Britain's youngest-ever summer Olympian at 13. She secured a bronze medal in the women's park skateboarding event to become Team GB’s youngest Olympic medal winner.

Sky Brown's Paris 2024 qualification aim: Participating in skateboarding and surfing

Sky's success continued beyond the Tokyo Olympic Games, with victories at the top levels of the sport, where she became the first British skateboarding world champion. She set herself a goal of competing in two disciplines at the Paris Olympics, skateboarding and surfing, but narrowly missed out on a surf quota berth.

"Life's too short. You've got to try all different kinds of things, you know?" she told Olympics.com about her dual sport aims, hinting that after Paris 2024 she would again aim to compete in qualifying for Los Angeles 2028.