Alana Smith didn’t leave the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with a medal, but they are still a winner.
In a post shared on Instagram on July 26th, the 20-year-old skateboarder who isn’t binary reflected on her time at the games and all she’s accomplished.
“What a wild ride …” wrote Smith. “My goal was to be happy and to be a visual representation for people like me. For the first time in my entire life, I am proud of the person I have worked for. I preferred my luck to the medal. I wanted to leave myself behind in everything I did because I knew I was INCREDIBLY myself and I was smiling sincerely.
The athlete is one of 16 members of the U.S. skateboarding team who competed in the sport’s Olympic debut. And while Smith finished last in their event, they couldn’t have been happier about the experience.
