16-Year-Old Japanese Skater Tops Scores at STU Rio 2025 Skate Park Event
Japanese 16-year-old Issei Sakurai tops the men’s skate park scores at STU Rio 2025, with Brazilian skaters Augusto Akio and Pedro Barros also advancing to semifinals.
- • Issei Sakurai scored 85.70 points, the highest in the first phase of men's park at STU Rio.
- • Brazilian skaters Augusto Akio and Pedro Barros also qualified for the semifinals.
- • The event featured 24 male athletes in six heats, each having three 45-second runs.
- • Top finishers advanced directly to semifinals; others proceeded to a repêchage round.
Key details
The first day of the men's skate park event at STU Rio 2025, held in Barra da Tijuca, showcased a standout performance by 16-year-old Japanese athlete Issei Sakurai. Sakurai recorded the highest score in the initial phase with an impressive 85.70 points, displaying exceptional skill with complex 540° maneuvers. This score guaranteed his direct advancement to the semifinals.
Brazilian competitors also made a strong showing: Augusto Akio, an Olympic bronze medalist, scored 85.01 points despite early falls in his runs, while eight-time world champion Pedro Barros finished with 83.29 points, both securing their places in the semifinals alongside Sakurai. The men's competition featured 24 athletes divided into six heats, with each skater having three 45-second runs, the best of which determined their ranking.
Following the initial phase, the top finishers moved directly to the semifinals, while those placing second and third entered a repêchage round for another chance to advance. The event drew enthusiastic support from the crowd, notably for Sakurai's outstanding performance.
This emerging skateboarding talent from Japan and the continued excellence of Brazilian athletes like Akio and Barros highlight the rising competitive level at STU Rio 2025's skate park disciplines.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.