By: Emila Zhang
Have you ever heard the saying, “You’re never too young to do anything”? Well, Chloe Covell, the daughter of Luke Covell, a former New Zealand international rugby league footballer, did just that. At 14 and 5 months old, she will become Australia’s youngest-ever Olympics gold medalist when she competes in Paris this year. Nothing will stop Chloe in her quest to win gold, not even two fractured fingers.
Chloe started skating at just six years old after seeing American star Nyjah Huston, the world’s best street skater, competing at X Games. She quickly rose in the Australian skate scene, winning two national titles and earning a spot on the national team. She made her international debut at the World Skateboarding Championships in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, in February 2023, where she won a silver medal.
Covell followed that up with a bronze medal at the X Games in Chiba, Japan, in July 2023, where she was the youngest competitor. She also became the youngest athlete ever to win two X Games medals before the age of 13. While her age is very remarkable, the fact that she is highly successful, her gender is too.
Women’s skateboarding has historically been.
“I just want to keep skating and having fun,” Covell said. “And maybe inspire some other girls to start skating too.”
Two weeks ago, in Las Angeles, during a training session, Covell fractured her pinky and ring finger on her right hand.
“It was just a freak incident. I just slipped out, and they (the ring and little finger) fully bent back,” Covell said.
“Big injuries for me are, like, my wrists. I have little bones, and I guess my wrists, the bones chip very easily, and my ankles, they always get chipped quite a bit, and I’ve had a couple of stitches and stuff,” Covell said.
Like an athlete lucky enough to get in the Olympics, Covell felt nervous. “I’m definitely a little nervous because it is the biggest stage. The biggest competition, and there are just famous people walking around everywhere,” Covell said.
So, what next for this amazing trailblazer?