2024: The amazing year that was for Australia’s Arisa Trew
From becoming the first woman to land a first 900 to being crowned Australia’s youngest-ever Olympic champion to finally getting her pet duck, 14-year-old Trew has had a record-breaking 12 months, but the hungry skater says she’s just getting started. “I have big goals for 2025,” she tells Olympics.com.
Skateboarding
It is perhaps telling that on Google Australia’s list of top trending Australian public figures, among the household names and the political juggernauts, you’ll find Arisa Trew.
At 14 years and 86 days old, the skateboarder from Queensland burst onto the scene after making Australian Olympic history as the youngest athlete ever to win a gold medal.
Clad in her statement bright pink and black checkered helmet, the teenager came up clutch in a strong women’s park final, putting down a McTwist 540 and a body varial 540 in a storming final run to clinch first place in the standings and, ultimately, the win.
The magnitude of her achievement won her legions of new followers and fans from the millions of Australians watching the rising star back home.
But while the Olympics may have been the springboard on which she catapulted into her country’s consciousness, Trew’s Parisian conquest was, to those in skateboarding, the latest indicator of a rise already well underway.
Arisa Trew: 2024 year in review
- Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award 2024
- Olympic Qualifier Series, Shanghai - 1st place
- First female 900 in halfpipe
- Olympic Qualifier Series, Budapest - 1st place
- X Games Ventura - Park gold
- X Games Ventura - Vert gold
- Olympic Games Paris 2024 - Park gold
- World Vert Championships 2024 - 1st place
- X Games Chiba - Park gold
Before the Games in France, Trew confirmed herself as a medal favourite after clinching back-to-back victories at the Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai and Budapest, becoming the only skateboarder, male or female, to achieve the feat in high-stakes, high-octane events.
And shortly after that was over, Trew was in the United States taking X Games golds in park and vert, flashing all the signals of what she might go on to do later in the year.
But the Australian didn’t stop once the Olympics were wrapped and done.
Just one month later, Trew returned to the contest circuit at World Skate Games Italia where the women’s world vert title came into view.
Having stunned the skating world by dropping a 900 in a halfpipe back in May, hopes were high that Trew might do something special at the outdoor vert ramp in Rome’s iconic Piazza del Pincio.
The teen certainly didn’t disappoint. After cruising into the final, Trew put down a statement switch McTwist en route to the crown, taking the win by over 24 points from second place.
It was the perfect end to her summer main course but, for Trew, there was still time for dessert.
From Italy, she turned to Japan for X Games Chiba, something of a home X Games for the half-Japanese skater. And just as she had done in Paris, Trew stitched together a dazzling third run to win her third consecutive X Games skateboard park gold and her fifth gold overall.
2024 was by all accounts an exceptional year for Trew, notwithstanding her age and the quality of her competition.
The young Australian was pushed all the way by her peers, including other skate phenoms Sky Brown and Hiraki Cocona, now both double Olympic medallists.
It is then, with little surprise, that the skater struggled to name a favourite moment when asked by Olympics.com in an exclusive chat.
“My favourite achievements from this year are definitely the Olympic gold in Paris, X Games Japan, X Games Ventura, landing my first 900. And also my first win at the Olympic qualifier in Shanghai,” Trew said, smiling as she listed off her catalogue of victories.
There is, of course, another win the skater is relishing.
After striking gold in Paris, Trew candidly revealed to broadcasters not long after that her parents had promised her a pet duck if she finished on top of the podium. The slightly obscure request went viral, attracting the world’s attention, including the question of what name Trew might give the animal.
It would be some wait for her parents to follow through, given Trew’s globetrotting and exploits, but in late November, she finally was gifted her pet duck ‘Goldie’, named with Paris in mind.
“Goldie is doing really well,” Trew beamed when asked after her duck. “She's still growing, still a baby, but really cute. And she's come to the skate park with me and seen all my friends and just loves hanging out with us.”
Having conquered so much in such a short period, many are now wondering what Trew might do next. The Aussie confirmed that more contests as well as new innovations were on the horizon as well as making sure she continues doing what does best: enjoying herself.
“I have big goals for 2025. I'm hoping to achieve a lot of new tricks, keep competing in competitions, pushing myself to the next level and always have fun.”