What’s 6 years old, zips through the air with gravity-defying ease, and wears a pink princess dress with her crash helmet? Australian skateboarding phenomenon Paige Tobin.
For this mighty girl, dizzying 12-foot drops are a piece of cake. The pint-sized powerhouse recently beat out the competition in the 9-and-under category to win the King of Concrete skateboard contest in Melbourne.
After finding her mom’s old skateboard in the family garage at age 2, Paige was fast on her way to becoming “the wheel deal.”
“Paige is definitely skating exceptionally well, not just for the age but for skateboarding in general,” Neftalie Williams, an adjunct professor of sociology at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism told CNN.
Williams, who studies race and gender diversity through the lens of skateboarding, says Paige’s achievements are noteworthy not only as a measure of athletic prowess but also for their impact on cultural boundaries.
“One of the most important things about seeing Paige skating is how it’s a reminder that there has been an explosion in women, girls, and gender non-conforming skaters,” he told CNN. “That has really shaped and changed the way people perceive skateboarding culture.”
Paige cites British skateboarder Sky Brown—who at age 12 has bounced back from major injuries sustained in a fall and is slated to become the youngest female skateboarder in Olympic history—as inspiring her “never give up” attitude.
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While she’s yet to master a “Blunt Fakie” herself (stalling at the top of the ramp, maintaining balance on the ledge, and then popping off the ramp for the downhill ride), Paige has landed several endorsement deals and along with her mom, plans a U.S. tour this summer where she hopes at some point to eventually hook up with skateboard legend Tony Hawk.
In the long term, Paige’s legacy of dismantling stereotypes may be what defines her career in sports history books, but one look at her and it’s clear she loves what she’s doing.
At 6, the driving momentum that keeps this little girl in flight is simple: “It makes me happy,” Paige says.
(WATCH Paige go in the viral video below.)
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