13-Year-Old Rayssa Leal Won Second Place In Women's Skateboarding, And You May Know Her From Somewhere
3 min read
Everyone stop what you're doing right now — we need to talk about Rayssa Leal.
She's an icon. She is the moment. She is a 13-year-old skateboarder from Brazil and a newly minted silver medalist in women's street skateboarding.
The sport, as you all know, made its debut at the Olympics in Tokyo.
I'm going to pause for a second so you truly get it. She's literally 13. THIRTEEN!!!
Xinhua News Agency / Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images
Naturally, she celebrated the win on her Instagram, captioning the photo in Portuguese, "We made history."
Advertisement
Advertisement
She continued, "I don't know how to explain everything I'm experiencing. I only know how to thank you????. Thank you God????. Thank you family, friends, @cbskskate and to all of you who cheered a lot??????????."
The humility, the gratitude, the iconicity!
After being asked a question about her medaling, she said, “I don’t want to have responsibility. I want to go on being the lively little girl I am for all of Brazil.”
Which is just the best answer ever.
And while she's making history in Tokyo, there's somewhere else you might have seen her.
The one and only Vine.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Yup — Rayssa went viral on the since-defunct platform (RIP) back when she was 8, with a little help from skating legend Tony Hawk. She's known as the "Little Skateboard Fairy," given that her outfit of choosing was a sparkly blue pixie dress complete with fairy wings.
Just look at her go.
Effortless, darling.
Same.
This is just icon behavior — you can't not clap and cheer.
Here she is in another video, just absolutely soaring and flying.
Advertisement
Advertisement
And here are just a bunch of shots of her being the coolest.
Lionel Bonaventure / AFP via Getty Images
And here.
Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
Here too.
Patrick Smith / Getty Images
An icon.
Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
Advertisement
Advertisement
And this too.
Jeff Pachoud / AFP via Getty Images
Absolutely wild to think about how this is just the beginning for her.
Here, Rayssa congratulates Japan's Momiji Nishiya — who is also 13 — on her gold medal win.
Simply put:
Advertisement
Advertisement
To watch Rayssa's full performance, click here.
Solve the daily Crossword
35,898 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others?35,898 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others?


Crossword