Skateboarding prodigy and Olympic medallist Rayssa Leal to advocate for nature with support from the IOC
Drawing on her passion for nature and experience growing up near the Amazon, Rayssa Leal – who became Brazil’s youngest Olympic medallist at Tokyo 2020 – will work with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to raise awareness of the importance of protecting nature.
Leal’s collaboration with the IOC will be closely linked to the Sports for Nature Framework, which brings together sports organisations in a commitment to protect nature. The IOC will offer Leal the tools and support she needs to learn more about the importance of protecting nature and help her share this knowledge with a broader audience.
At Paris 2024, Leal will compete on a specially designed skateboard, featuring her favourite species from the Amazon, the macaw.
Humanity can only be healthy if we preserve nature – the quality of water, air and the environment. With the Olympic Games, I have a unique opportunity to share the importance of preserving the natural world. The Olympics are one of the most positive events in the world, for all fans and athletes all over the world, and, with the support from the IOC, I have a great opportunity to spread the word for the preservation of the environment.
“We are delighted to collaborate with Rayssa Leal on the important topic of nature protection,” said Marie Sallois, IOC Sustainability Director. “With her exceptional athletic achievements and passion for nature, she is a true inspiration for young people in Brazil and beyond.”
Born in Imperatriz, Maranhao, Brazil, Leal grew up close to the Amazon rainforest and has witnessed its destruction first-hand. Using her visibility and influence as a young athlete, Leal now wishes to do her part in raising awareness about the importance of protecting nature.
Leal made the news aged just seven after a video of her performing a skateboard trick dressed as a fairy spread across the internet. In 2019, at the age of 11, she set a Guinness World Record as the youngest skateboarder to win a Women’s Final at the international Street League Skateboarding (SLS) Championship in Los Angeles, California. At Tokyo 2020, she made history when, at 13, she won the silver medal in the women’s street skateboarding competition, becoming Brazil’s youngest ever Olympic medallist. Leal won the 2022 Skateboarding Street World championships and earned silver in the 2023 edition.
The news of Leal’s collaboration with the IOC comes just a few days before the opening of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The first Games edition fully aligned with the IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, Paris 2024 aims to reduce its environmental impact while maximising social and economic benefits for the local population.