British star skateboarder Sky Brown has been cleared to take part in the Paris Games despite dislocating her shoulder just days before her scheduled park event.
The 16-year-old was injured during training on Sunday, just 24 hours before setting off for the Olympics. She suffered a complete dislocation but on Thursday British team doctors and physiotherapists gave her the go-ahead to skate.
“That was really scary,” Brown said. “My shoulder popped out and it never popped back in. My dad put it in. I’ve got to have surgery when I get back so it doesn’t pop out again. I’ve got a brace coming in tomorrow so I can try it on. I’ve got to wear it in every time I skate.”
The park competition begins Tuesday morning with qualifying rounds, with the finals that afternoon in La Concorde. It’s unclear how competitive Brown will be with his injury.
Three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics, Brown won bronze in the women’s park skateboard final, aged just 13 years and 28 days, making her Britain’s youngest ever Summer Olympic medallist.
In an interview with The Guardian earlier this year, she said she was excited to be competing in her second Olympics but wasn’t just focused on winning another medal.
“Honestly, I don’t feel any pressure because I’ve already done it in Tokyo,” she said. “I just want to show some new tricks. For me it’s just exciting. Skating isn’t about medals. It’s about putting on a show for everyone.”
In Paris, Brown will be part of a three-person British team that also includes fellow teenager Laura Tambling and 51-year-old Andy McDonald.
Brown has struggled in recent months with an injury following a torn MCL in his knee, and narrowly missed out on the surfing qualifying rounds prior to this competition.
