Sky Brown: 11-year-old skateboarder ‘lucky to be alive’ after fracturing skull in fall

Brown had hoped to become Great Britain’s youngest ever summer Olympian in Tokyo next year

Eleven-year-old British skateboarder Sky Brown is “lucky to be alive” after suffering multiple injuries during a fall in training in California.

Brown, who was looking to become Great Britain’s youngest summer Olympian in Tokyo, has suffered skull fractures and a broken left wrist and hand.

She was unresponsive on arrival at hospital after being airlifted by a helicopter, but she is now expected to make a full recovery.

“Sky landed head-first off a ramp on her hand,” her father Stewart said. “When she first came to hospital, everyone was fearful for her life.

“Sky had the gnarliest fall she’s ever had and is lucky to be alive. Sky remains positive and strong, the whole medical team is shocked to see her positivity.”

Brown maintains her helmet and arm saved her life after the accident on the half-pipe, but remains hopeful she will feature at next year’s Games: “This will not stop me. I am going for gold in Tokyo 2021. I’m going to push boundaries for girls with my skating and surfing. I’m going for gold in 2021 and nothing will stop me.

“I don’t usually post my falls or talk about them, because I want people to see the fun in what I do, but this was my worst fall.

“I want everybody to know that it’s okay, don’t worry, I’m okay. It’s okay to fall sometimes, I’m just going to get back up and push even harder. I know there are a lot of things going on in the world right now.

“But I want everybody to know that whatever we do we’re just going to do it with love and happiness.

“I’m excited to come back even stronger and even tougher,” Brown added. “My heart wants to go so hard right now. I’m just waiting for my body to catch up.”