- Chloe Covell aims to make Olympic history in Australia
- The 14-year-old is competing in skateboarding.
- She could become Australia’s youngest Olympic gold medalist
Street skate phenomenon Chloe Covell poses the question: what were you doing at 14?
In Paris, Covell could become the youngest gold medalist in Australian Olympic history.
At the same age, Australian team chef de mission Anna Meares was still five years away from being eligible to begin her illustrious international track cycling career.
At 34, his skateboarding teammate Shane O’Neill is old enough to be his father.
Australian swimmer Sandra Morgan was 14 years and six months old when she won gold at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
Covell was born on February 9, 2010, meaning he would surpass Morgan if he won on July 28.
“It makes it an incredibly inclusive sport with a great culture and social element,” Meares said of Covell’s youth.
‘When I was 14, I was worried about what I would have for breakfast, what exam I would have at school, the 10 kilometres I would do on my bike to train with my sister.’
Chloe Covell aims to make Olympic history for Australia
The teenager could become Australia’s youngest Olympic gold medallist, aged 14.
But Meares points out that Covell is more than most 14-year-olds.
“She’s got it all covered, she does incredibly well in every event,” he said.
‘Many of us get nervous before the event… as soon as it starts, everything goes back to normal.’
Covell is also tough: she is “pretty calm” about a pair of fractured fingers she suffered in training before Paris.
As one Tweed Heads resident notes, he has “small bones.”
Covell also revels in this excellent adventure, which involves having a companion because he is very young.
“I’m certainly a little nervous, because it’s the biggest stage and the biggest competition,” she said.
‘There are famous people walking around everywhere. But I’m also very excited, I have all my equipment, I tried everything on.
“It’s a really cool experience to be here.”
It is no coincidence that women’s skateboarding includes Covell and other teenagers.
After the sport made its Olympic debut in Tokyo, younger girls in particular took careful note.
His teammate, Shane O’Neill, is old enough to be his father at the age of 34.
“Women’s skateboarding in general is progressing super fast and there are a lot more young girls around the world getting into the sport, they have a really good skate pool and a lot of different people to skate with,” O’Neill said.
‘They are much more accepted than they were before.
“Chloe, she’s one of the best… she’s only 14. I don’t know where she’s going, she’s good.”
Covell started skateboarding when he was six years old and over the past three years has risen to the highest levels of the sport with a string of top international results.
