Australian skateboarding star Chloe Covell hunting more X Games bounty in Chiba: “I’m stoked to be back”
Ahead of the X Games Chiba 2023 women's street skating contest, the 13-year-old street skating phenom talked to Olympics.com about her unique history with the contest, her Olympic intentions and why she'll be studying Rayssa Leal closely when the competition gets underway.
Skateboarding
One year on from the X Games medal that kickstarted 13-year-old street skateboarder Chloe Covell’s stunning rise, the Australian has returned to Japan with an eye on more success.
At the inaugural X Games Chiba 12 months ago newcomer Covell put the world on notice when she clinched bronze in the women’s street contest.
Just 12 at the time, the result was a breakthrough moment for the young skater launching a string of international podium finishes including most recently a silver at the World Skate Street Skateboarding Championships in Sharjah.
“It’s great to be back here,” Covell told Olympics.com ahead of the competition start.
“Japan is one of my favourite places to come. All the people are really nice, it’s super clean and I’m stoked to be back.”
Returning to Japan as the youngest-ever athlete to win two X Games medals before the age of 13, it would be easy to say that Covell has a special connection with the event.
But it runs deeper than that. The contest was the reason the Australian first ever started skating, having been inspired after watching it to pick up a board. That it has now become a playground for her is not lost on the young skater:
“It’s crazy,” the Australian said. “When I first started watching I was like six or seven and I saw Nyjah Huston and just as soon as I saw him, I wanted to start skating. To be here now and be winning medals, it’s crazy to think.”
Chloe Covell: Keeping an eye on Rayssa Leal
With silver medals from SLS, X Games and now, the World Championships, one prize missing from Covell’s already impressive trophy cabinet is a first-place finish, and it’s something the Aussie is eager to address.
“Definitely,” Covell said when asked if she was targeting the top of the podium in Chiba.
“I want to try my best in all the comps I got to and if the outcome isn’t great I can just learn from it. But hopefully, I can get some good rankings."
Given the depth of talent in women’s street skating Covell is under no illusion that taking home first place isn’t so simple.
One skater above all who has so far been dominating the top spot in the women’s street discipline is Brazilian Rayssa Leal - Covell’s idol.
Since scooping up Olympic silver at Tokyo 2020, the 15-year-old has established herself at the top of the world order meaning if the Aussie wants to win she’ll have to beat her friend.
“I’m definitely keeping my eye on her,” Covell said on coming up against Leal. “She’s a great skater. She just has the style, she has the flow, and she has super good tricks.
“But I’m never going to not be friends with her. I’m always going to be friends with her” she added. “I hope to be like her one day.”
Chloe Covell: Targeting Paris 2024 Olympics
X Games Chiba 2023 will mark another important event stop in Covell’s already jammed-pack calendar.
Like all Paris 2024 skateboarding hopefuls, between contests like X Games and SLS, the skater is also hitting up the Olympic qualifiers including the upcoming street contest in Rome, in June.
“I’m so excited the skating has been brought out to the Olympics,” Covell said underlining confirming that her current goal to get to qualify for the Games.
In order to make it to Paris, skaters must accrue ranking points meaning consistency over time is king, but the ever-cool Covell insists she is keeping her calm skirting any kind of feelings of pressure.
Last week, at the first stop of the 2023 SLS tour in Chicago, Covell experienced her first taste of frustration on the international stage after she was unable to back up a strong run section in the best trick phase. It meant she finished in sixth place.
But already the Australian seems to have moved on from the experience, explaining how her approach means she works to learn from every contest she attends.
“Every time I do a comp, I look back on it, see what I could have changed or done better, or kept the same," Covell said. “I did get a little bit [emotional] in Chicago, but I have learnt from that now.”
If proof was needed that the skater is indeed over the hump then her outlook for the future is more than enough to inspire confidence that when it comes to contests, Covell will be just fine.
“I’m pretty confident," she said about what lies ahead.
"But I’m not going to say too much,” she added with a grin.