The most asked questions about teen sensation Rayssa Leal
Do you know how old Rayssa Leal is? Have you ever wondered how the Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medallist started skateboarding? Olympics.com answers your most pressing questions about the Brazilian star.
Skateboarding
Skateboarding sensation Rayssa Leal certainly knows how to make a statement.
The Brazilian, formerly known as ‘The Skateboarding Fairy’, first gained attention aged just seven when a short video of her perfectly executing a heelflip down a set of stairs wearing a bright blue tutu went viral on social media.
The clip garnered millions of views and even caught the attention of legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk.
A few years later Leal went stratospheric again but this time on an altogether different kind of stage.
At Tokyo 2020, aged 13, she captured silver in the inaugural women’s street competition in Japan’s capital to become Brazil’s youngest ever Olympic medallist.
Her wicked tricks, infectious smile and sportsmanship at the Games not only brought her new followers and fans from across the world, but her performance also confirmed her as one of skateboarding's shining stars.
Since then, Leal has picked up two Street League event wins as well as receiving a ‘Best Athlete of the Year’ nomination from the Brazilian Olympic Committee.
But what else do you need to know about the ‘Fadinha do skate’? Read on below.
How old is Rayssa Leal?
Born on 4 January 2008 to Haroldo Oliveira Leal and Lilian Mendes, Leal turned 14 in 2022.
How tall is Rayssa Leal?
Rayssa Leal stands at 1.47m.
Which country is Rayssa Leal from?
The skateboarding star is from Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil.
She represented the country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021 and is the youngest Brazilian ever to win an Olympic medal.
Does Rayssa Leal have Instagram?
Rayssa Leal can be found on many social media sites including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter.
Her Instagram handle is @rayssalealsk8 - https://www.instagram.com/rayssalealsk8/?hl=en
Her Twitter handle is @rayssaleal - https://twitter.com/rayssaleal?lang=en
Her Facebook handle is @rayssalealsk8 - https://www.facebook.com/rayssalealsk8/
Her TikTok handle is @jrayssealeal - https://www.tiktok.com/@jrayssaleal?lang=en
Across all four social media sites the Brazilian has just under 12 million followers.
How did Rayssa Leal start skateboarding?
Rayssa Leal started skateboarding when she received her first board at the age of six.
The young talent quickly displayed the kind of fearlessness needed to progress in her sport, and soon discovered a desire to master her craft.
In 2015, aged seven, she travelled over 2,800km to attend her first competition at the Brazilian Skate Street Mirim Championship and picked up the first place prize for her efforts.
Not long after, she became an overnight sensation after a video of performing a trick dressed as a fairy spread like wildfire across the internet.
Skateboarding icon Tony Hawk posted the video of Rayssa with the caption: "I don’t know anything about it but it’s amazing: a fairy-tale heelflip in Brazil by Rayssa Leal."
Is Rayssa Leal goofy?
Rayssa Leal is a goofy-footed skateboarder which means that her left foot is at the back of the board and her right front is at the front.
Traditionally, the dominant foot is at the back of the board meaning Leal pushes and controls her board with her left foot.
Is Rayssa Leal in the Olympics?
Rayssa Leal competed in the women’s street skateboarding competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021 where she won silver behind Nishiya Momiji of Japan.
Also 13, Nishiya pipped her rival to gold by scoring 15.26 ahead of Leal’s 14.64.
Leal was one of three Brazilian riders to qualify for the event alongside Leticia Bufoni and Pamela Rosa.
Having made such a big impact on its debut, skateboarding will return to the Olympic programme at Paris 2024 where Leal has already stated she wants to go one step higher on the podium.
She also recently shared her intention to compete in the park competition as well as street where she has enjoyed most of her success so far.
How did Rayssa Leal and Leticia Bufoni meet?
Rayssa Leal and Leticia Bufoni are not only two of Brazil’s best skateboarders but they are also great friends despite their age gap.
But how do they know each other?
Leal first met Bufoni on a television show which she was invited on following her viral video.
Then seven, Leal told the cameras her dream was to be a professional skateboarder and to meet Bufoni. To her surprise, Bufoni was then introduced to her on the show.
The moment sparked what is one of the best examples of the sport’s inspiring sorority.
A couple of years later, Leal joined Bufoni in competition and the elder skater has always shown her support for the young skating prodigy.
At Tokyo 2020, the two riders were inseparable, pushing each other all the way.
In celebration of Bufoni’s 29th birthday (13 April), Leal shared a post on her social media congratulating her idol:
“Today is the day of my greatest inspiration,” wrote Leal on Instagram. “Thank you so much for the encouragement, advice and all the jokes we do together.
"Soon we’ll be skating and making fun of it again. Miss you, mom,” joked Rayssa, hinting at the nature of their friendship.