Skateboarding phenomenon, Rayssa Leal details the number of Olympics she wants to compete in By Thiago Lemos
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Skateboarder Rayssa Leal, one of the biggest names in Brazilian sport today, has accumulated so many achievements in her career that it is easy to forget her age: just 18 years old. In an interview published on July 29, 2026, she shared details about her future planning.
With two Olympic medals — silver in Tokyo 2020 and bronze in Paris 2024 —, in addition to being four-time Street League Skateboarding (SLS) champion and two-time world champion, Rayssa will be 20 years old during the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Despite her potential to participate in four more editions of the Games, the athlete revealed, in a statement to Olympics.com, that she has different plans for her career.
The young skater detailed her future goals, mentioning: “After Tokyo and after Paris, when I arrive in Los Angeles I will be 20 years old. There are two more years to grow, learn new tricks and evolve emotionally as well. This is very important for my generation, in the future we will be the most experienced. And I want to compete in two or three more Olympics, so I want to leave everything I have on the track”, the athlete said to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) website. The decision to limit his participation, despite his young age, demonstrates a career strategy focused on longevity and well-being, a difference in such a demanding sport.
Brazilian fans will have the opportunity to follow Rayssa Leal up close on August 9th, when she will be the main star of the Rio de Janeiro stage of SLS Takeover. The event, which will feature big names in skate street, will take place at Maracanãzinho. The women’s final will be broadcast live on Globo, during the Esporte Espetacular program, and also on the getv and sportv2 channels.
For the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, Rayssa Leal projects a huge fan base in her favor in search of the gold medal, the only Olympic podium she has yet to achieve. Her international visibility comes with significant pressure for results, something she has already learned to deal with, as occurred two years ago at the 2024 Paris Games.
About the past experience, Rayssa commented: “Paris was crazy. The crowd was incredible, they were shouting a lot. I was very nervous. I felt a lot of pressure to walk lighter, more beautiful”, said the skater, who despite reaching the final in seventh place, managed to overcome herself and win the bronze medal.
To manage pressure and prioritize her mental health, the athlete attends therapy sessions three times a week. Leal stated that the positive effects of this support are evident in his performances on global tracks.
“After all that pressure, I learned that it wasn’t just about that, but also about having fun. Today I have the maturity to understand that, when I’m having fun, I can reach unimaginable places”, said Rayssa.
She also shared her passion for the sport: “I love skateboarding, because I feel free. I can deal with bad things. Sometimes, when I’m not feeling very well, I get on the skateboard and that feeling disappears. I can be myself. I can have fun, laugh, fall, get up and keep going. That’s when I activate my creative side”, added the skateboarder.
