How girls inspired by Arisa Trew's Olympic success can get into skateboarding

Arisa Trew has made history.

The 14-year-old Aussie has become our country's youngest ever Olympic gold medallist, taking home the top prize in the women's skateboarding final at Paris 2024.

She first got into the sport at just eight years old, making the switch from a surfboard to a set of wheels.

"My dad took me to the skate park and I just started skating, and I loved it from then," Trew told Nine's Eddie McGuire on the desk in Paris.

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"It was just lots of fun, and challenging, and just something to do after school.

"When I started skating there weren't a lot of girl skaters around my age, so I skated with most of the boys more. Then when I got to 10, there were a lot more girl skaters."

Australian sport retailer Decathlon reports skateboarding is one of the most underrepresented sports among young Aussies, with only 3 per cent regularly participating.

WATCH: Arisa Trew's history-making Olympic victory.

But thanks to Trew and the rest of the Aussie Olympic team, it seems like that's about to change.

Decathlon reports a 54 per cent increase in product searches related to skateboarding, hinting that we could be about to see a huge boom in the number of young Aussies hitting the skatepark.

But while sports such as swimming, soccer or tennis have a clear path when it comes to starting out, skateboarding is a little more elusive.

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So, how exactly can girls inspired by Trew's tremendous success follow in her footsteps?

Well, the good news is, it's not all as intimidating as it might seem.

While skateparks have predominantly been a male-dominated space, more and more women are taking to the sport, carving out their own space to learn and encourage one another.

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Take Skate Like a Girl Australia for example, an organisation founded by women for women.

Through weekly skate meets throughout south-east Queensland, the group cultivates a welcoming, safe space for women of all ages to give skating a go, even if they've never touched a board before.

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In Melbourne, Riverslide Skate Park offers inclusive sessions specifically for girls and members of the LGBTQI+ community to learn how to skate.

The best way to go about it is to browse social media and see if there are any local initiative such as Skate Like a Girl near you, or get in contact with your council to see what sessions and lessons are offered at your local skatepark.

Plenty of skateparks will have experienced coaches who can help introduce newcomers to the world of skating in a fun and welcoming way, making sure they have everything they need whether it be the right safety equipment or a friend to learn from.

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For the girls wanting to take it further and maybe even carve out a name for themselves the way Arisa Trew has, the best thing is to get started locally to build some skills, and then look into competitions.

You can get in touch with the local YMCA; they run competitions all across Australia in partnership with Skate Park Leagues and the Australian Skateboarding League.

From there, young skaters can get started on the amateur circuit before working their way up to the pros, and one day maybe even the Olympics.

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