The women's skateboard park podium saw an average age of 15 ©Getty Images

Japan’s Sakura Yosozumi was crowned the inaugural women’s skateboard park champion at Tokyo 2020 here today, leading a podium completed by 12 and 13-year-old skaters.

Yosozumi, aged 19, was the fourth highest qualifier for the final after recording a score of 45.98 points in one of four heats to decide eight finalists.

She trailed top qualifier Misugu Okamoto of Japan, with Britain's Sky Brown and Kokona Hiraki, also representing the host nation, rounding off the top three after the heats.

Yosozumi rose to the challenge in the final, producing a clean run filled with difficulty.

The judges awarded the 2019 world champion a score of 60.09 points, which eclipsed the best efforts achieved by skaters in qualification.

The score led greater difficulty and execution being required to usurp Yosozumi at the top of the standings.

Japan’s Sakura Yosozumi's first run of the competition proved enough to win gold ©Getty Images
Japan’s Sakura Yosozumi's first run of the competition proved enough to win gold ©Getty Images

Brown and Okamoto looked poised to challenge, but their opening two runs ended prematurely after falls on landing.

Hiraki went closest to replacing Yosozumi at the top of the standings, with the 12-year-old achieving a second run score of 59.04 points to strengthen her hold on second place.

Brown, one year her senior, delivered her first clean run of the competition in the final round.

Her score of 56.47 points was enough to move into bronze medal position.

It left Okamoto as the only skater capable of taking gold from Yosozumi, but another fall meant her best score of 53.58 points would only prove enough for fourth place.

Hiraki and Brown, who could have become the youngest Olympic gold medal winner had they triumphed, celebrated silver and bronze respectively.

“I’m so happy to be able to win the gold medal at the first Olympic Games for skateboard park," said Yosozumi.

"I think doing the back-to-back 540s was the reason that I got the best score of today.

“There’s a lot of people who helped me and I want to say thank you to all of them. 

"I want to thank my family and my sponsors and all of the people, I appreciate their support."

Japan have won all three skateboarding medals at Tokyo 2020 to date, with the hosts having triumphed in skateboard street events last week.

Five of the nine skateboarding medals won have been earned by Japanese skateboarders.

The men's skateboard park final will take place tomorrow.