Sports

[JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Skateboarding Stars Funa Nakayama and Momiji Nishiya Nab Medals in Street League Season Finale

The Japanese teenagers, both of whom earned medals at the Tokyo Olympics last year, were second and third in the skateboarding meet in Brazil.

Published

1 year ago

November 13, 2022

Ed Odeven

Funa Nakayama (left), Brazil's Rayssa Leal (center) and Momiji Nishiya pose for photos on the podium after the women's event at Street League Skateboarding's final tournament of the season on November 6 in Rio de Janeiro. (Courtesy of Street League Skateboarding/via KYODO)

This article first appeared on SportsLook, JAPAN Forward's dedicated sports website.

Japan's female competitors had a successful showing in the final tour stop of the 2022 Street League Skateboarding season.

Tokyo 2020 Olympians Funa Nakayama and Momiji Nishiya placed second and third, respectively, with 20.8 and 19.2 points in the women's final in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, November 6. Brazilian Rayssa Leal, who won each of the previous three tour stops (Jacksonville, Seattle and Las Vegas), placed first with 21.1 points to complete an undefeated season.

The 14-year-old Leal was thrilled with the outcome.

"Since I was a little girl, I always watched Street League and the girls who skated always inspired me a lot," Leal was quoted as saying in a forbes.com article after her victory. "Today I'm here, being the world champion for the SLS and I'm very happy to be able to be part of all that they are providing me."

In July 2021, Nakayama earned the bronze medal in the women's street competition at the Tokyo Games. Nishiya, then 13, grabbed the gold, becoming Japan's youngest Olympic gold medalist. Leal was the runner-up.

Read the full story on SportsLook.

Author: Ed Odeven

Follow Ed on JAPAN Forward's [Japan Sports Notebook] here on Sundays, in [Odds and Evens] here during the week, and Twitter ＠ed_odeven, and find him on JAPAN Forward's dedicated sports website, SportsLook.