20-year-old Aori Nishimura has (basically) been shredding the streets of the US with her skateboard skills since she was *just* seven years old. Yep, we repeat, seven years old. The Japanese professional street skateboarder has a list of accolades, and if you thought that that’s not impressive enough, Aori Nishimura is the first Asian female gold medalist street skater, like ~ever~. (A round of applause please).
Aori Nishimura recently represented Japan in the women’s street event at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, and she’s the face of Oakley’s latest Sub Zero glasses campaign. Can she get any cooler?!
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Cosmo ME caught up with the athlete as she told us a little bit about herself, her biggest career ‘pinch me’ moment, and how she feels about Asian representation in the skating community.
Scroll down to read our exclusive interview with Aori Nishimura…
Cosmo ME: So, who is Aori Nishimura? 
Aori Nishimura: Hahaha – I’m just a girl from Tokyo, now living in the United States who loves skateboarding, traveling around the world and shopping with my boyfriend, and spending time with my friends, family, and dog Polly.
I’m also sponsored by Oakley and being a part of Team Oakley is really cool – they have supported me for many years now and I get to be part of launching new, cool products and working on campaigns with athletes from other sports is really fun and interesting. We just shot an Oakley campaign for the Re:SubZero sunglasses with Aaron Jones, and Andre De Grasse which was so much fun.
C: When did you start skating?
A: I began skateboarding at the age of seven. By the time I reached fifth grade, I started competing professionally in Japanese contests before coming to the states to compete against pros from around the world.
C: Was skating something that you always knew you wanted to pursue?
A: I started skating with my two older sisters, Kotone, and Sana. I didn’t start skating because I wanted to be a champion or professional or anything like that, it was just something we did together as a family and it was a lot of fun. Instantly I fell in love with everything about skateboarding and shortly after I started skating, I knew this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
Via @aori_nishimura on Instagram
C: How did it feel being the first Asian female street skater to win a gold medal at the X Games?
A: I never thought about or even think about being the first Asian female or about my home country. I love who I am and where I come from, but there are no borders in skateboarding, you’re either a skater or you’re not. It doesn’t matter where you come from. I’d like to show the world how accepting and freeing skateboarding is, as well as the culture, lifestyle, and community that surrounds it.
Via @aori_nishimura on Instagram
C: Do you feel like there’s enough Asian female representation in the skating community? 
A: I think it’s important for skateboarding to continue being a diverse sport that includes all races, nationalities, religions, and all genders. We need to break down barriers and challenge what is considered ‘the norm’. Skating creates such an amazing culture and community that allows people to be who they are. And with skateboarding now being in the Olympics, we’re able to reach a bigger audience and show people around the world the culture and lifestyle of skateboarding. I really hope to see more people around the world excited to not only watch but pick up a skateboard and try it out.
C: What advice would you give to young girls similar to you who would like to pursue this sport?
A: Younger girls should concentrate on having fun and enjoying themselves and not worry about what others think. Skateboarding should be liberating and exciting. Look to other skaters, male and female, for support and motivation. We all started at the same place and we all know how intimidating learning to skate can be.
And never forget, even the best in the world weren’t very good when they started. Nobody will ever master skateboarding, it’s impossible. Even those of us who are professional fail every day, but it’s those little failures that keep us going again and again until we succeed. There’s no better feeling than finally landing a trick you’ve been trying for a long time. Just trust yourself and never doubt your ability to achieve the impossible.
C: What ‘pinch me moment’ can you recall from your career so far? 
A: There’s been so many, it’s hard to choose just one! Winning my first gold medal at the X Games in 2017 is definitely one of those moments. That and maybe the first time I won the World Championship in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Tony Hawk – eat your heart out.