Canada has a new skateboarding sensation, and she’s still in elementary school.
At just 10 years old, Reese Nelson made history at this year’s X Games, becoming the youngest medalist in the event’s 29-year run.
Pacifico Womenās Skateboard Vert Podium!
š„: Arisa Trew š¦šŗ
š„: Reese Nelson šØš¦
š„: Asahi Kaihara šÆšµ#XGames Aspen 2023 pic.twitter.com/meoDa7Qh80— X Games (@XGames) July 23, 2023
The Calgary native wowed the Ventura, California, crowd at the Pacifico Women’s Skateboard Vert on Sunday when she scored an impressive 82.33 with her halfpipe run.
“Stoked to be the youngest X Games medalist,” Nelson wrote in a Monday Instagram post. “So lucky to have my skate friends, mentors and sponsors!”
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The thrilling event marked the first time a women’s vert competition had been held at the X-Games since 2010 ā three years before Nelson was even born.
Ultimately, Nelson came up slightly short of the gold medal when 13-year-old Arisa Trew of Australia, who landed the first-ever 720 by a woman at the X Games, earned a score of 90.33.
Nonetheless, the youngster has already captured the attention of the skating world, including legend Tony Hawk, who called her a “prodigy” of the sport in a People Magazine interview earlier this year.
It was a good day: I helped young Reese Nelson learn frontside blunts on vert while relearning them myself. I predict that she will move beyond my teaching abilities very soon. pic.twitter.com/cCd1h4fEf6
— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) April 4, 2023
Hawk, who was considered the top vert skater for over a decade, seems to have become both a mentor and avid supporter of Nelson too. The pair have regularly been photographed training together at his California facility.
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“I predict that she will move beyond my teaching abilities very soon,” the 54-year-old wrote in a tweet back in April.
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