Tokyo (AFP)

Teenagers Kokona Hiraki and Sky Brown will have to wait a little longer: their eldest Sakura Yosozumi, 19, became the first Olympic park champion in Tokyo on Wednesday, one of the two disciplines of skateboarding.

Yosozumi beat compatriot Kokona Hiraki, 12 years, 11 months and 9 days, and Briton Sky Brown, 13 years and 28 days.

The precocity record in Olympic history for a gold medal held since 1936 by the American Marjorie Gestring, crowned in diving at 13 years and 267 days, still stands.

"I am very, very happy. I trained so hard and I have no regrets. That's what led me to this result," Yosozumi responded in tears.

The Japanese Sakura Yosozumi, Olympic park champion, one of the two skakeboard disciplines, August 4, 2021 at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Lionel BONAVENTURE AFP

With this title, the young woman completed the harvest of Japan by bringing a third gold medal (the fifth medal in total) in skateboarding to the host country, after the street titles of Yuto Horigome and Momiji Nishiya.

Japan narrowly missed the treble on Wednesday.

Misugu Okamoto, the reigning world champion, took fourth place after her crash in the last run.

Symbol of the bond that unites female skaters, used to living together on the circuit, it was carried at arm's length and comforted by its competitors.

- "Arigato!"

Exchanges of smiles, hugs under the scorching Tokyo sun, cries of joy and hot tears, the skaters have often given the image of a bunch of girlfriends, who came above all to have fun for the Olympic debut of skateboarding.

The press conference of the three medalists only confirmed this impression.

"I am very happy. This medal seems unreal. I am so happy to be on this podium with these girls. Sakura is one of my best friends. Kokona is also a very good friend," said Brown, under the approving look from the other two medalists.

The joy of the Briton Sky Brown, bronze medalist of park, one of the two disciplines of skateboarding, August 4, 2021 at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Loic VENANCE AFP

Yosozumi and Brown were both born in Japan, but the second competes for Great Britain, where her father is from and partly lives in the United States.

Six years separate them, but they get along like thieves in the fair, as evidenced by their accomplice stories on Instagram in the shuttles and alleys of the Olympic Village.

The Japanese Sakura Yosozumi, 19 years old and Olympic park champion, one of the two skakeboard disciplines, congratulates the Briton Sky Brown, 13 years old and bronze medalist, on August 4, 2021 at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Loic VENANCE AFP

World No. 3, crowned at the last X Games and star of her sport at just 13 years old, Sky Brown was a big favorite with Yosozumi, who had beaten her this year at the Dew Tour (benchmark skate event).

After two failed first runs, the Briton, sports bra in the colors of the Union Jack, pulled out all the stops on the third.

To the great pleasure of the members of the delegations present on the Ariake site.

But with a score of 56.47 points, she had to settle for bronze behind Hiraki's 59.04, silver and Olympic champion Yosozumi's 60.09.

Briton Sky Brown, during the park event, one of the two disciplines of skateboarding, on August 4, 2021 at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Loic VENANCE AFP

The Japanese, born in Wakayama, south of Osaka, made the difference on her first run, managing the issue a little better than these young rivals.

The 2018 world champion did not improve her score on the next two.

But the essential was acquired: a coronation at home for the advent of his sport at the Games.

And memories between friends in the eyes.

"Arigato!"

(thank you in Japanese), launched in chorus the three medalists at the end of the press conference.

© 2021 AFP