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Berlin (dpa) \u2013 Lilly Stoephasius doesn’t fear the kind of hype that will probably surround her for being the youngest German athlete at the Tokyo Games this summer. The skateboarder, who just turned 14, demonstrates an astonishing early maturity.<\/p>\n
\u00abI feel honoured to be the youngest German athlete in Tokyo. But I don’t see it as so important to be the youngest. I see myself as a member of the team,\u00bb Stoephasius told dpa.<\/p>\n
The young star, who will be attending the ninth grade from August, has already clinched three German championship titles, is European runner-up and secured World Championship bronze in the past few years.<\/p>\n
With the qualification for the Olympics, she has already achieved the most important goal. \u00abI fought my way to the Olympics and wanted it so badly,\u00bb she said.<\/p>\n
Skateboarding is an Olympic sport for the first time. Stoephasius will compete in the Park discipline, which takes place on a hollowed-out course similar to a swimming pool featuring a series of complicated curves.<\/p>\n
Athletes have around 40 to 45 seconds to show their skills and there’s no age limit.<\/p>\n
Stoephasius was introduced to the sport by her father when she was only one. Two years later, she was already whizzing around on her own.<\/p>\n
\u00abThen at some point she very quickly became much better, even than I ever was,\u00bb said her father, who is also her coach.<\/p>\n
Stoephasius admitted that skateboarding is no longer a hobby, but despite 15 hours of training per week, she still has fun with the sport.<\/p>\n
\u00abIn Tokyo I just want to have fun and ride the park with the others. Of course I will do my best and maybe finish in the top 10. But if that doesn’t work out, I won’t be disappointed,\u00bb she said, adding she would like to be at her prime at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.<\/p>\n
For Dirk Schimmelpfennig, the German Chef de Mission, Stoephasius already fulfils a role model function at her young age. \u00abShe also perhaps embodies a young generation in a still young sport and thus hopefully awakens an interest in skateboarding among young people in Germany,\u00bb he told dpa.<\/p>\n
The 14-year-old would like to live off skateboarding for \u00aba few years,\u00bb but understands that \u00abyou can’t retire on it unless you’re Tony Hawk,\u00bb Stoephasius said referring to United States’ skateboarding legend, who has 10 Summer X gold medals.<\/p>\n
\u00abA normal skater doesn’t necessarily make it,\u00bb she added.<\/p>\n
By Thomas Flehmer, dpa<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Lilly Stoephasius has achieved her big goal by qualifying for the Tokyo Olympic Games. Despite being only 14-years-old, the skateboarder is already seen as role model for the young generation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1074574,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1095249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-actualidad"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t