Olympic Skateboarder, 14, Whose Parents Promised Her a Pet Duck If She Won, Earns Gold Medal

Mar. 15, 2025

Arisa Trew and duck.Photo:A. Perez Meca/Europa Press via Getty; Getty

A. Perez Meca/Europa Press via Getty; Getty

Skateboarder Arisa Trew made history on Tuesday, Aug. 7 at the2024 Paris Olympicsas the youngest Australian to win a medal, and she will have something special waiting for her at home: a pet duck.

During apress conferenceafter her victory, the 14-year-old said her parents promised her she could get a pet duck if she won a gold medal.

“Ducks are really cute and I really wanted a pet duck,” Trew told reporters when asked about her unconventional gift choice.

Arisa Trew.Ulrik Pedersen/DeFodi Images via Getty

Ulrik Pedersen/DeFodi Images via Getty

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“My parents definitely wouldn’t let me get a dog or a cat because we are traveling so much right now,” Trew also told Australia’sNine News. “But I feel like a duck might be a little bit easier, and… I don’t know, I just want a duck.”

Trew earned her gold medal in women’s park skateboarding on Tuesday after scoring a 93.18 on her final run, reportsThe Associated Press. Kokana Hiraki of Japan and Sky Brown of Great Britain won silver and bronze, respectively. Hiraki, 16, became Japan’s youngest medal winner during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when she won bronze in the same event at 13.

“It feels amazing having the gold medal around my neck,” Trew told reporters. “It’s been my goal since watching the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. That inspired me and made me want to come to this Olympics and get to the podium, which is, like, amazing.”

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This was Trew’s first trip to the Olympics and her parents Simon and Aiko Trew watched and cheered her on from the stands at La Concorde. They struggled to find the words to describe their feelings after Trew’s win.

“We can’t believe it. It’s crazy, crazy, absolutely crazy,” Simon toldNine News. “Yeah, it’s just don’t know what to say. It’s just somebody who loves skateboarding and having fun.”

Skateboard legend Tony Hawk congratulated Trew, Hiraki, Brown and the other skateboarding Olympians on Tuesday.

“Congratulations to@arisa_trewon her epic last run in women’s park finals this afternoon, landing her to a well-deserved gold medal,”Hawk wroteon Instagram. “Thanks to all of the competitors for pushing skateboarding into a new era of equality and inclusivity. And congrats to 🥈@cocona.hiraki& 🥉@skybrown.”

source: people.com