Despite the pressures of social media, COVID and impending planetary destruction, young people are absolutely dominating this year’s Olympic Games, with four countries fielding their youngest-ever athletes. The vast majority of these are skateboarders, a sport which debuted at the previous Tokyo Olympics, and there are various reasons for this. Primarily, unlike other sports such as boxing which have a minimum age requirement, skateboarding is one of the few divisions in which athletes can compete at any age (provided they qualify). 

Other explanations range from a speculated athletic advantage for shorter skateboarders (having a lower centre of gravity and less likely to injure themselves when falling) to, according to one Independent report, the fact that young people are simply less “burdened by past traumas and the susceptibility to injury” (I’m no Olympic skateboarder, but I’m definitely burdened by past trauma, so that checks out).

While the title of youngest Olympian ever still goes to Greek gymnast Dimitrios Loundras, who won bronze at the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens when he was just 10 years old, a whole host of medalling kids are breaking records this year. Check out the list below to see the ten youngest Olympians making waves at Paris’ 2024 Olympic Games.

ZHENG HAOHAO (11), CHINA, WOMEN’S PARK SKATEBOARDING

Haohao is the youngest Olympian competing in Paris this year, and the youngest that Team China has ever fielded. For context, Haohao only left primary school a couple of weeks ago. Despite these accolades, however, the skateboarding prodigy seems remarkably unfazed, commenting that the “competition [is] just to get together with my good friends. It’s like we’re playing a fun game – everyone has to show the best they’ve got.”

VAREERAYA SUKASEM (12), THAILAND, WOMENS’ PARK SKATEBOARDING

Although she returned home from Paris after failing to qualify for the women’s park finals, Thailand’s youngest-ever Olympian has already made history. The trip was full of firsts for Sukasem, including receiving her first-ever flower bouquet from her mother upon returning to Thailand earlier this week. 

HEILI SIRVIÖ (13), FINLAND, WOMENS’ PARK SKATEBOARDING

Being gifted a board by her aunt at age eight, Sirviö is reported to have started skateboarding after making a bet with her neighbour worth 50 Finnish marks. Five years later, Sirviö has become Finland’s youngest-ever Olympian – financial incentives work, it seems.

FAY DE FAZIO EBERT (14), CANADA, WOMENS’ PARK SKATEBOARDING

Ebert is Canada’s youngest-ever Olympian, and apparently skateboarding isn’t even her first athletic pursuit: she initially took an interest in track and cross country before switching to skateboarding at age eight. When asked about the pressures of the Olympics, Ebert quipped that she found the prospect of starting ninth grade later this year more daunting.

SKY BROWN (15), GREAT BRITAIN, WOMENS’ PARK SKATEBOARDING

Brown was Britain’s youngest-ever Olympian when she won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and she is back to defend her podium spot. Having recently won first place at the World Skateboarding Championship in 2023 (as well as 2018’s Dancing with the Stars: Juniors competition), she is entering the race as one of the competitors this year.

HEZLY RIVERA (16), USA, TEAM GYMNASTICS

Competing at the now-minimum age for the sport, Rivera is the youngest athlete on Team USA, and the youngest non-skateboarder at this year’s Olympic Games. While she didn’t make it to the finals, the team led by gymnastic luminary Simone Biles still managed to take home gold earlier this week.

QUINCY WILSON (16), USA, TRACK AND FIELD

The youngest male athlete in Paris this year (go girls!), Wilson is already a verifiable prodigy on the race track. Earlier this year, the American sportsman broke the under-18s record for the fast indoor 400m dash, and finished sixth in the Olympic trials, going head-to-head with World Champions Quincy Hall and Michael Norman. When Wilson received the news that he would be going to Paris, he reportedly began running around his house with excitement. He better have a big house.

LOLA TAMBLING (16), GREAT BRITAIN, WOMEN’S PARK SKATEBOARDING

Inspired by her BMX professional father and training in her family-run skatepark in Saltash, Cornwall, Tambling very quickly rose to prominence as one of Britain’s youngest skateboarding talents. She joins Sky Brown and 50-year-old Andy Macdonald in Team GB’s skateboarding line-up this year.

DOMINIKA BANEVIČ (17), LITHUANIA, BREAKDANCING

Also known as ‘B-Girl Nicka’, Banevič is entering the Olympics’ first-ever breakdancing division already a world champion, having recently won the 2023 European Championships in breaking. Performing an array of handstands, headstands, and pretty much anything other than standing still, Banevič’s Olympic debut on August 9 is set to be a show.

ALEX SHACKELL (17), USA, WOMENS’ 200M BUTTERFLY

With her father, Nicholas Shackell, representing Great Britain in the 100m freestyle swim at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and her older brother, 19-year-old Aaron Shackell, also competing in Paris in the 400m freestyle division, it seems that Alex Shackell was born to swim. Competing in two divisions last night (August 1st), Shackell finished in sixth place in the 200m butterfly race, and supported Team USA's silver medal victory in the 4x200m freestyle relay.