The Youngest Athletes At #Tokyo2020 Show Us How To Dream Big

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  When kids are involved in sports, they learn valuable lessons along the way. Determination, hard work, and persistence to keep going are mastered, along with the skills it takes to do well.

  Did you know that the youngest Olympian ever to compete was a 10-year-old? That Olympian was a Greek gymnast by the name of Dimitrios Loundras back in 1896.

  Youngest athletes at Tokyo 2020 Olympics

  The Olympics is the dream of any competitive athlete, and these teens have made it at such a young age! Get to know the youngest athletes in the #Tokyo2020 Olympics — some of them might become household names someday! 

  Hend Zaza, 12

  

  The youngest Olympian in this year’s games, Hend Zaza, qualified to play table tennis at the Olympics, representing Syria. She took a liking to the sport when she would watch her brother play. Her brother was also a National Champion for table tennis.

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  Zaza trained while her country was under civil war—that’s determination for you!

  In her opening match, she was 12 years and 204 years old. She, unfortunately, lost her opening match, but her Olympic dreams are still shining brightly — there are more years and more chances to come to get that gold medal! 

  Kokona Hiraki, 12

  

  Kokona Hiraki belongs to Team Japan, competing in skateboarding. She started skateboarding when she was 5 years old, and now that she’s 12, she is the youngest member of Team Japan ever. 

  Sky Brown, 13 

  
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  Sky Brown is the youngest of all time Olympian from Team Great Britain. She started skateboarding when she was 3-years-old.

  Born in Japan, Brown currently ranks third in the world for ‘park’ skateboarding. She suffered terrible injuries after a fall, but she didn’t let a fractured skull and a broken wrist get in the way of her dreams — she’s back on the board and ready to go for gold. 

  Rayssa Leal, 13  

  

  Eight-year old Rayssa Leal was a skateboarder in a fairy costume on the streets, but now she takes her magic to the world stage. Now 13 years old, Leal competed in the women’s street event, garnering a silver medal for Team Brazil. Leal quickly bonded with our own Margielyn Didal, who was also competed in the skateboarding competition.

  Nishiya Momiji, 13  

  
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  It’s Momiji Nishiya’s first Olympics, and yet she already won a gold medal for the Women’s Street Final for Team Japan. That instantly made her one of the youngest Olympians to win a gold medal!

  Quan Hongchan, 14 

  At 7 years old, Quan Hongchan began diving for the Guangdong provincial team and hasn’t stopped diving since. The women’s 10-meter platform diving will have her as one of its competitors, hoping to bring the gold for China.

  She is the youngest Olympian for Team China this year. 

  Katie Grimes, 15 

  

  Swimming for Team USA, she is also the youngest member for this year. You’ll be seeing Grimes make her Olympic debut in the 800m freestyle competition. 

  Yuka Saso, 19 

  
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  The Filipino-Japanese golfer made headlines a few weeks before the Tokyo Olympics when she won the US Women’s Open, winning her first major title. She grew up in Japan but returned to the Philippines when she was nine years old to start her golf training.

  Now part of Team Philippines, there are high hopes for Yuka Saso to bring home a medal for the country—maybe also a gold medal, in the footsteps of Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz!

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  Kayla Sanchez, 20 

  

  It’s Kayla Sanchez’s first time to head to the Olympics, and yet she already won an Olympic silver medal for the 100-meter freestyle relay. A Filipina-Canadian, she has made Team Canada proud, and we in the Philippines are proud of her achievement, too!

  These Olympians prove that nothing gets in the way of what you want, as long as you dream big and work hard!

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  Olympic champ Hidilyn Diaz encourages parents to support their children pursuing sports. Read here.

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