Aussie 14-year-old Arisa Trew wins historic Olympic gold after two-word ‘joke’ from coach inspires

Aussie 14-year-old Arisa Trew wins historic Olympic gold after two-word ‘joke’ from coach inspires

Australia’s new youngest Olympic gold medallist Arisa Trew has toasted her “insane” feat after an in-joke with her coach became a piece of magical advice.

Aged 14 years and 86 days, the skateboarder eclipses the previous record held by Sandra Morgan since 1956 when she won 4x100m freestyle relay gold at the age of 14 years and 184 days.

Fittingly, Trew’s gold was Australia’s 14th in Paris — and it came in stunning style.

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Sitting in the bronze position before her third and last run of the final, coach Trevor Ward pulled her aside and said two words.

“We’ve got some crazy things that we say to each other and I just said the crazy things that we say — skibidi sigma,” he told AAP.

The message paid off when it inspired Trew to complete a series of daring tricks, highlighted by a 540 — one and a half rotations in mid-air — to thrill the sold-out crowd.

“It’s like a joke that I have with all my friends because, like, it’s just, like, sigma is, like, the top,” she said.

“A lot of kids nowadays say that a lot.”

Trew scored 93.18 to pip Japan’s Cocona Kiraki (92.63) and Great Britain’s Sky Brown (92.31).

Arisa Trew knew she’d put down a winning run.Arisa Trew knew she’d put down a winning run.
Arisa Trew knew she’d put down a winning run. Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images

“I got told by a few people that I’m Australia’s youngest gold medallist, which is, like, pretty insane,” the new champion said.

“And really cool, because that’s, like, who I’m representing and, like, it’s just amazing.

“It’s just, like, super cool that I have won the gold medal because it has been like a dream. I’m just, like, so excited.”

Ward said: “I’m crying like a little baby. Man, it’s the most amazing thing.”

Trew was stunned by her score — “I was, like, what? That’s crazy,” she said — even after doing her best to treat it like a normal event.

“It was just crazy and so exciting and I just, like, couldn’t believe it when I, like, knew that I was the winner of the Olympics,” she said.

“This being my first Olympics, it’s just insane.

“I wasn’t really nervous because it’s just, like, I just needed to think that it’s another skate comp.

“And just to have fun with all my friends and skate my best but, like, all I really wanted to do was land a solid run.”

Her golden feat followed a shaky qualifying session when she ranked sixth, only safely into the medal round by two spots.

But in the final, with apt music blaring including Guns N’Roses’ hit Sweet Child O’ Mine, Trew triumphed to collect a precious prize.

“It’s a little bit heavier than I thought. But it’s, like, beautiful,” she said.

Trew and silver medallist Cocona Hiraki check out their prizes.Trew and silver medallist Cocona Hiraki check out their prizes.
Trew and silver medallist Cocona Hiraki check out their prizes. Credit: Dean Lewins/AAP

Trew started skateboarding seven years ago and, three years ago, her 11-year-old self was inspired by the sport’s debut at the Tokyo Olympics.

“I always knew that, like, I wanted to be here and, like, podium and just, like, win,” she said.

“Because after the first Olympics, that really inspired me, like, watching all the girls, and it pushed me to just want to be here.

“And, like, I thought, like: ‘Oh, maybe I could do it’.

“And, like, when I, like, did that run, I just, like, knew that I could do it.”

The teen trumped a field where Brazil’s Dora Varella, aged 23, was the oldest and Finland’s Heili Sirvio, aged 13, the youngest.

The Finn summed up her reaction to Trew’s golden run.

“Banger, banger, banger,” Sirvio said.

– with AAP

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