Tokyo - She’s an Olympic Bronze medallist, has 20 million followers on YouTube, a Nike sponsorship deal and is worth (GBP3.5 million) RM20.5 million.
But Sky Brown cannot enter contracts, vote, or celebrate with a pint at the pub as she is only 13 years old.
The skateboarder became Britain’s youngest ever Olympic medallist on Wednesday when she finished third behind Japanese pair Sakura Yosozumi and Kokona Hiraki.
Brown however is more Japanese than her country can lay claim to.
Born to a Japanese mother and British father in Miyazaki, Japan, she spends half the year in her birthplace and the other half in San Diego where her father works.
When given the option, Brown chose to skate for Britain over Japan, citing the “more relaxed approach” of the former.
“The British Skateboarding Association, they told me 'No pressure, just have fun and get out there'. So that's why I chose England,” she told Daily Mail.
Having already won bronze at the 2019 World Championships in Brazil, Brown is currently ranked third in the world.
With 1.2 million followers on Instagram, Sky is also the youngest-Nike sponsored athlete apart from other sponsorship deals with Tommy Hilfiger, Vans, Barbie, Billabong, Visa, and Samsung.
While she is known in the skateboarding circles as the youngest professional athlete in the sport, Brown only became a household name in the Tokyo Games when park skateboarding became an Olympic sport for the first time.
She also sings and features her songs on YouTube and even won the US TV show Dancing with the Stars: Juniors.
Remarkably, Brown does not have a coach but by her own admission, learns moves and tricks from YouTube. Her family including younger brother Ocean, 11, are also ardent skaters and help her hone her skills.
Her father Stuart was an amateur skateboarding contestant but decided to focus on making his daughter a star.
Brown is also passionate about surfing, spending three hours a day when she is in the US.
“I think surfing helps with my skating,” she said, adding that she hopes to compete in both her favourite sports in Paris 2024.
However, this may prove to be a logistical problem as surfing events are held in French Polynesia – a 20-hour flight away.
For now, Brown is focused on enjoying her first Olympic experience – which is expected to bring in at least another GBP2 million (RM11 million) in sponsorship fees.
"If you believe in yourself, you can do anything. I believed in myself and I’m here,” she told the Olympic Channel. – The Vibes Aug 6, 2021
