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Meet The Youngest Competitor at Paris 2024!

Written by Niall Neeson

Way, way up on the ladder of  skateboarders most delighted to be in Paris is the Games’ youngest contestant, Chinese 11-year old Hao Hao ‘Lilibet’ Zheng, who only joined the World Skateboarding Tour in Argentina during May 2023.

Lying 26th in the OWSR going into Paris 2024 Skateboard Park, the schoolgirl from Huizhou in Guangdong province has benefited rapidly from the coaching of former Guinness World Record-holder and British skateboarding legend Danny Wainwright.

From an understandably shaky 55th-place start in the rankings from the day after a near-tornado blew through San Juan, Lilibet put in two great back-to-back results of 20th and 21st in Shanghai and Budapest during the Olympic Qualifier Series- and booked her ticket to summertime in Paris.

Lilibet’s story is, as many of these skateboarders are, the story of a great mother. When her daughter ditched rollerskating for skateboarding aged seven, her mother Wang Zhe allowed her to continue despite a parent’s misgivings about the whole skateboarding thing.Four years later, her daughter is about to become her nation’s youngest-ever Olympian.

And Lilibet is loving it: being a perfect English-speaker (at age eleven!), she is always in the stands chatting if she isn’t practicing- from Argentina to Italy, Dubai to Hungary all along the long road here to Paris.

Imagine how exciting it must be to find yourself amongst all those other avenues of life right now and know that you are part of it on merit, just four years after you first dropped-in.

How full of possibility the world must seem: from 55th in the world to dropping-in in front of the world, when the French capital hosts Olympic Skateboard Park in just a few short day’s time.

We’re very pleased to introduce you to the mighty Hao Hao Zheng!

Haohao Zheng WST WCH OG Paris Atiba Jefferson 3

Ph: Atiba

Hey! What do you like to be called, Hao Hao... or Lilibet?

I don’t know, really- I really don’t mind… Lilibet, my English name, was given to me about a year and a half ago.

So am I right in saying you bought your own first skateboard aged seven? How come?

No- actually, my Mum bought me my first skateboard- for my seventh birthday, when we were in Guangdong. 

You’re in the Olympics just four years after you started skating- how did that happen?

I don’t know (laughs)- I was just skating, and then started entering competitions… and somehow, here we are. I don’t really think about it, though- I just skate. 

Haohao Zheng lipslide WST Street WCH OQS shanghai Kenji Haruta 3

Ph: Kenji

You joined the World Skateboarding Tour in Argentina, which was a crazy one with the weather- have you had a favourite stop so far?

Maybe Rome, because they have a very beautiful beach there and I like to go swimming and play at the beach. 

I’ll be going back for the World Skate Games there again, soon. 

You speak perfect English already at age eleven- was that a struggle, or are you just a natural learner?

Thank you, my English is okay; I started learning English from my Mum when I was about three years old- but I also study it myself. I’d like to learn another language, also… 

Haohao Zheng spine transfer WST WCH OG Paris Bryce Kanights 21

Ph: Kanights

What do you know about your coach Danny’s professional skateboarding career? Does he ever tell you any stories from the old days?

No, not really! He seems to know everyone and everyone’s his friend (laughs)- I’ve seen some photos and videos from when Danny was skating. Haohao Zheng portrait WST Street WCH OQS shanghai Kenji Haruta 2

Ph: Kenji

Your best result so far was at OQS Shanghai, where you came in 20th- was that just a coincidence or do you think being in your home country made a difference?

Yes, probably because it’s my home country- and I had a lot of friends there, watching. We also did a lot of training and skating before the competition. 

Do you ever rollerskate anymore, or is skateboarding the only thing in your life now?

No, I don’t rollerskate anymore- only skateboarding now! It takes up all my time!

Everybody expects young skaters to be under pressure at these contests but you seem to be having a lot of fun- what can you tell us, there?

I don’t get nervous or worried about competition, I just like to have fun on my skateboard. It’s always fun to have friends around, and people to skate with- so I really enjoy it. 

Haohao Zheng backside air WST WCH OG Paris Atiba Jefferson 24

Ph: Atiba

Of course, nobody expects you to have your future mapped out at age eleven- but do you have anything you would like to do or be in later life?

I want to have fun! Travel more… learn another language, play with my friends- and ride my skateboard. That’s it. 

So this is a question we always finish with: if I gave you a microphone right now, what would you like to say to the world?

Oreos and candy... are life!