පැරිස් ඔලිම්පික් යන 12 හැවිරිදි දැරිය

12 yr old Thai skateboarder to make history with Paris Olympics debut

Twelve-year-old Vareeraya Sukasem is to become Thailand's first athlete to compete in skateboarding at the Paris Olympics, with her story inspiring a new generation of skateboarders.

Vareeraya's journey to the Olympics began aged seven, when her mother took her to a skate park near their home in the Thai capital Bangkok. Five years after stepping on a skateboard for the first time, she will represent Thailand at the 2024 Paris Olympics, scheduled for July 26.

Skateboarding, split into park and street events, made its Olympics debut at Tokyo three years ago, with skaters judged on the height and difficulty of their tricks.

The preteen skateboarder clinched a spot at the upcoming Games after qualifying in women's skateboarding in Budapest in June.

At an indoor skate park in central Bangkok, Vareeraya is adding final touches to her performance routine as she strives for a top finish at the upcoming Games.

"When I first took part in competitions, I didn't expect to be able to make it this far. After taking part in more and more competitions, I became eager to improve my skills. I set a small goal for myself: I want to participate in the Olympics, even if it's only one time," she said in an interview with Chinese state broadcaster China Media Group (CMG).

Her journey to the Olympics has been riddled with injuries, sometimes keeping her off her board for months at a time.

"Falling during training is quite common. Sometimes it hurts a lot. My expectation of myself is to try my best to finish the game," she said.

"For Vareeraya to reach that goal, it's giving hope to the younger generations of skateboarders. And the current skateboarding community sees that it's possible to make it to the Olympics. It's not just a dream anymore," said Vareeraya Sukasem's coach Kenny Reed.

During this Olympics, skateboarding events are scheduled to be held in one of Paris' major public squares Place de la Concorde on July 27 and 28, as well as August 6 and 7, gathering more than 80 athletes.

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