Haleiwa's Jordyn Barratt finishes 11th in inaugural Olympic skateboarding competition
Aug. 4—Japan dominated the finals, but Jordyn Barratt was also part of Olympics history today in Tokyo, competing in the first-ever park division event of skateboarding.
Sakura Yosozumi and Kokona Hiraki won gold and silver at Ariake Urban Sports Park. Great Britain's Sky Brown prevented a sweep by the hosts with a bronze-winning effort on her final run. Misugu Okamoto, also of Japan, would have likely medaled if not for a stumble at the end of an otherwise excellent last run.
Yosozumi, the 2018 world champion, won with a score of 60.09, edging Hiraki's 59.04.
Barratt, who learned skateboarding at Banzai Skatepark while living in Haleiwa as a child, was knocked out of the competition during the final of four heats. The top eight of 20 skaters advanced to the final.
Barratt finished 11th. Okamoto posted the highest prelim score of 58.51.
In both the prelims and finals, the best score out of three 45-second runs counted for each competitor.
Barratt skated in the second of four heats of five skaters. Her 35.22 in her first run stood up as her best score and put her in sixth midway through the prelims. She fell with 13 seconds left in her final run while trying for a score with a better chance of holding up.
Hiraki, at 12 the youngest in the field, had the best score midway through the prelims with 52.46. Brown, 13, and an X Games champion, passed her with 55.26 and 57.41 in the third heat.
Barratt, 22, attended Sunset Beach Elementary and Waialua Middle schools. She graduated from high school in San Diego and lives in Oceanside, Calif.
Heimana Reynolds, a Mid-Pacific graduate from Aina Haina, competes in the men's park division Thursday (today in Hawaii ).
