12-year-old skateboarding prodigy Kokona Hiraki just became the youngest Olympic medalist in 85 years

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12-year-old skateboarding prodigy Kokona Hiraki just became the youngest Olympic medalist in 85 years
Kokona Hiraki. Photo by Marijan Murat/picture alliance via Getty Images
  • Skateboarding phenom Kokona Hiraki, 12, became the youngest Olympic medalist in 85 years.
  • Japan's Hiraki won silver in the women's park event, finishing behind her countrywoman Sakura Yosozumi.
  • Who runs the world? Girls.
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Skateboarding phenom Kokona Hiraki just became the youngest Olympic medalist in 85 years.

Hiraki claimed the silver medal in the women's park competition, with Sakura Yosozumi, 19, winning the gold to provide a one-two finish for Japan at their own games in Tokyo.

Hiraki, seven years younger than Yosozumi, ran smoothly throughout Wednesday's final and beat British competitor Sky Brown, 13, into the bronze medal position.

Hiraki set a new domestic record as the youngest Japanese medalist of all time, smashing her fellow skateboarder Momiji Nishiya's previous record. Nishiya won gold aged 13 in the street event just a week ago.

The 12-year-old also becomes the youngest medalist since 1936 when Inge Sorenson of Denmark won a bronze medal in the 200-meter breaststroke event at the Berlin Games.

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"I don't really care about age," Hiraki told reporters, according to Time.

Japan has dominated the skateboarding competition in its introduction to the Olympics. Yosozumi's success meant it collected its third gold medal in the sport.

"I'm really, really happy," Yosozumi said through tears, Kyodo News reports. "I had trained so hard that I had no regrets, and I think that led to the result."

Yuto Horigome won gold in the men's street event, and Nishiya claimed the women's street championship.

Japan is currently third in the medal leaderboard with 20 golds at the Tokyo Games, behind the United States on 25 and China on 32.

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With seven silver medals and 12 bronze, Japan has won a total of 39 medals in all denominations.

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