Brazil’s Leal Dominates Women’s Street Skateboarding at Pan American Games, Eyes Olympics

Brazil's Rayssa Leal shows the gold medal during the awards ceremony of the women's skateboarding street at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, on Oct. 21, 2023. Esteban Felix/AP Photo

SANTIAGO, Chile—Brazil’s 15-year-old skateboarding sensation Rayssa Leal, one of the favorites to win a gold medal in the street event at the Paris Olympics next year, won her first Pan American Games crown on Saturday. The sport is debuting in the largest multisport event on the continent.

The teenager nicknamed “Fadinha” (Little Fairy in Portuguese) has become one of the biggest names in the sport since she won a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She showcased her board flips, slides and grinds to score a total of 236.98 points in Santiago.