THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD Sky Brown has become Team GB’s youngest Olympic medalist after claiming the bronze medal in the women’s skateboarding.

Brown came back from two falls in the women’s skateboard park event at the Ariake Urban Arena in Tokyo.

But the youngster absolutely nailed her third attempt to score 56.47 and finish third behind Japanese favourites Sakura Yosozumi and Kokona Hiraki.

Aged just 12, Hiraki duly eclipsed Brown to become the youngest Olympic medallist in 85 years. Favourite Misugu Okamoto fell on her final run and missed out on the podium.

The 12-year-old’s best score from three runs, 52.46, was comfortably surpassed twice by Brown, with the Briton recording a best of 57.40 before Okamoto, the 15-year-old reigning world champion, laid down her mark with a leading 58.51.

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Another Japanese skater, Yosozumi, raised the level in the final with a first run of 60.09 which would ultimately prove enough to give her the gold medal, while 12-year-old Hiraki posted an imposing 59.04.

South Wales Argus: Great Britain's Sky Brown during the Women's Park Final at Ariake Sports Park at Tokyo 2020. (PA)Great Britain's Sky Brown during the Women's Park Final at Ariake Sports Park at Tokyo 2020. (PA)

Brown and favourite Okamoto struggled with a trick known as the kick flip indy, leaving both facing the prospect of having to go clean on their respective final routines to reach the podium.

Brown stepped up when it mattered, her third score nudging her to bronze before another fall by Okamoto confirmed the Briton’s historic medal.

Brown’s achievement is made all the more remarkable by the build-up she’s had to the games with success, failure and horrifying injuries, all at the age of just 13.

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Horrific training fall last year

Brown has had to come back from horrifying injuries after she suffered a fractured skull and broken bones during a horrific fall in training last year.

She posted a clip on her Instagram page showing the fall.

She wrote: “I know a lot of people are worried about me, but Don’t worry, I’m Okay.

“I’m excited to come back even stronger and even tougher. My heart wants to go so hard right now, I’m just waiting for my body to catch up.”

Build-up to the games

Brown was herself born in Japan to a Japanese mother and a British father, she competed in the US Open in 2016 at the age of eight and first elected to compete for Great Britain in 2018.

She already had a high profile having won the US version of ‘Dancing With The Stars: Juniors’ in 2018.

Brown is also a keen surfer and expressed her ambition to achieve the almost unprecedented feat of competing in two sports – skateboarding and surfing – at the Games, something from which she was subsequently dissuaded.

In 2019, Brown finished third at the World Skateboarding Championship, and the following year she effectively secured her Olympic qualification by picking up a bronze medal at the Park World Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Last month, she warmed up for the Games by winning gold in the prestigious X Games.