Rayssa Leal: Why the world is my amusement park 

Pressure? What pressure?

14-year-old street skateboarding Olympic silver medallist Rayssa Leal smiles as she soaks in the Roman sun during an exclusive interview with Olympics.com back in June at the first qualification event for Paris 2024.

“If it works out, it works out, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. It’s alright. The next one will work,” the Brazilian says coolly.

Leal is describing the personal philosophy that underpins her competitive skating.

While others might trip, skip and stumble under the heat of the competition lights, struggling with the weight of expectation to execute a trick in a sport that is well known for being unforgiving, Leal looks at the stage and sees a completely different picture:

“It’s like I’m in an amusement park and I’m just having fun,” she explains. “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 confesses that even at Tokyo 2020, when she scored the first Olympic silver medal in a women’s street skateboarding contest at an Olympic Games, she still had that unfazed approach:

“It's kind of strange to say that [the Olympics] it's  just a competition, because it's not. But for me, competing is totally different. I’m just doing my best.”

Rayssa Leal: Why Tokyo 2020 meant so much

It’s important to underline that Leal’s ‘best’ is currently world beating.

And if her approach sounds for a second like she is just cruising, even at an Olympics, then that is a serious underestimation of her talent.

Though she was just pipped to the gold by then 13-year-old rider Nishiya Momiji of Japan, the Brazilian is still immensely proud her achievement.

“The Olympic Games are a dream for all athletes who dream big,” she explains. “They were for me and for my mum and dad.”

Leal’s parents both had Olympic aspirations growing up. Both wanted to compete at the Games and represent their nation in football, a sport Brazil holds particularly dear. That their daughter got to live out their life dreams means a tremendous amount to the young skateboarder: “I was able to fulfil that dream with skateboarding,” she says.

Leal also had another “parent” figure alongside her when she struck silver in Tokyo: Brazilian Leticia Bufoni, a 29-year-old six-time X Games Street skateboarding medallist.

The two compatriots have always shared a particularly unique bond which began when Leal first went viral on social media seven years ago for her prodigious skateboarding talent.

“Lele [Leticia] is like my mother at competitions. When we are travelling we go out together, have dinner, have fun together, skateboard together, do everything together – including playing football too. There’s that role play: we’re mum and daughter.”

READ MORE: Rayssa Leal and Leticia Bufoni: Forever stronger together

Rayssa Leal: Confident for Paris 2024

Since her history-making podium finish in Japan, Leal has gone on to score more significant results carving her out as a street skater at the top of her game. Most recently she picked up a third consecutive Street League Skateboarding win in Las Vegas making her a favourite to take the Super Crown title next month in Brazil.

But even now with a winning reputation and a legion of followers that have joined her along the journey Leal still doesn’t feel the pressure.

As the qualification cycle for the next Olympic Games in Paris 2024 gets into full swing, Leal beams with positivity even as the expectations burgeon:

“Paris 2024 is next, I'm super excited and confident too. I hope to be there representing Brazil and the Brazilian people.

“Yes, you have that responsibility, because it's not easy to get to the Olympic Games and ride. You feel the weight of being at the Olympic Games, but just being there representing Brazil, it's already very important.”

And as for her winning as part of an all-Brazilian podium sweep?

“When we ride naturally it will happen naturally, right?”

Few, right now, would disagree.