12 year old Japanese skateboarder Kokona Hiraki becomes youngest ever Olympics medalist; Mary Hanna became the oldest ever to participate

In Olympics news, Japan's skateboarder Kokona Hiraki, 12, won a silver medal. Hiraki, the youngest Olympic medalist since French rowing cox Noel Vandernotte in 1936, came second in the women's park skateboarding final behind 19-year-old Sakura Yosozumi. 

Sky Brown, a 13-year-old from the United Kingdom, won bronze, bringing the total age of the podium to just 44.

Hiraki is used to making history at the age of twelve. When she competed in the 2019 X Games at the age of ten, she made history as the youngest female contestant ever.

Hiraki, who placed sixth in the world with a time of 58:05, is the world number six and won the Japanese national title earlier this year – no small feat considering Japan has four of the top seven athletes in the world.

Meanwhile Australian Mary Hanna  became the oldest participant at the age of 66. Mary Hanna, a 66-year-old Australian equestrian, is already preparing for the 2024 Olympics.

Hanna, who is competing in her sixth Olympics, is 54 years older than Tokyo's youngest athlete and has four grandchildren (12-year-old Syrian table tennis player Hend Zaza). She hopes to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics if her health and body allow it.

Also read: Neeraj Chopra bags the first ever gold medal for India in athletics, India finishes with a record medal tally

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