Alana Smith (skateboarder) explained

Birth Date:20 October 2000
Birth Place:Mesa, Arizona, U.S.
Occupation:Professional skateboarder
Country:United States
Sport:Skateboarding
Position:Goofy-footed
Rank:19th (Street; July 2021)[1]
Event:Street, park
League:Dew Tour
Street League Skateboarding
League Type:Pro tour(s)

Alana Smith (born October 20, 2000) is an American professional skateboarder from Mesa, Arizona.[2] [3] They are goofy-footed.[4]

Skateboarding career

In 2013, at the age of 12, Smith landed a 540 McTwist and became the youngest medalist in X Games history when they won silver in the women's park event at the X Games Barcelona.[5]

They finished first in the Girls Combi Pool Classic at the World Cup of Skateboarding in 2015.[6] [7] [8]

In 2016, Smith and Nora Vasconcellos joined the skate team of the Eugene, Oregon boardshop Tactics, as the brand's female ambassadors.[9]

In 2021, Smith competed in the women's street skateboarding event at the 2020 Summer Olympics, finishing in last place out of the 20 competitors at the heat stage.[10] In so doing, Smith became the first ever openly non-binary athlete to compete at the Olympics and had the pronouns "they/them" inscribed on their skateboard. However, a number of sports presenters misgendered Smith during coverage of the event, including BBC Sport commentators and commentators on an international feed that was broadcast on NBC Sports.[11] [12] [13] [14]

Personal life

Smith is bisexual and non-binary, using they/them pronouns.[15] Other than skateboarding, Smith’s other hobbies include music, film, photography, and camping.[16] In 2021, after the Tokyo games, Smith became involved with a corporate- and athletic- coaching company Exos which focuses on creating safe space skate sessions.[17] Smith has expressed how skateboarding has helped them in dark places and wants to help others find the love of the sport that has helped them keep going.[17] [18] Smith was asked why they made their coming out and sexual identity public during an ESPN interview and shared that they wanted to show the world a side of them that is very vulnerable and sensitive while representing and helping kids that needed a support system. They also had started binding their chest in 2016 and received top surgery the following year. They said their gender dysphoria started in their teen years due to Instagram comments relating to a change they made in their hair.[19] [17]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Olympic World Skateboarding Rankings – Street, Female . . July 26, 2021 . en . June 30, 2021 . July 27, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210727044303/http://www.worldskate.org/skateboarding/rankings.html . dead.
  2. Web site: Dwyer . Kate . September 23, 2015 . This 14-Year-Old Proves Skateboarding is a Girl's Sport . September 8, 2020 . . en-us.
  3. Web site: Harwood . Erika . September 26, 2019 . 5 Female Skateboarders Everyone Will be Talking About in 2020 . September 8, 2020 . . en-US.
  4. Web site: Alana Smith athlete biography . September 8, 2020 . . August 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220812184052/http://www.xgames.com/athletes/3029945/alana-smith . dead.
  5. Web site: Alana Smith - Women's Street . July 15, 2021 . USA Skateboarding . May 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210728094821/https://usaskateboarding.com/blogs/team-usa-skateboarding-2020-olympic-representative/alana-smith . July 28, 2021.
  6. Web site: Khurshudyan . Isabelle . August 1, 2013 . Alana Smith blurs gender lines in skateboarding . September 8, 2020 . . en.
  7. Web site: Alana Smith (they/them) . September 8, 2020 . XSM Global . en-US . August 10, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200810211358/http://www.xsmglobal.com/alanasmith/ . dead.
  8. Web site: Waldman . Celia . June 3, 2016 . X Games Austin 2016 Q&A: Alana Smith . September 8, 2020 . . en-us.
  9. Web site: Blakely . Brian . August 12, 2016 . Tactics Welcomes Alana Smith and Nora Vasconcellos . September 8, 2020 . . en-US.
  10. Web site: July 26, 2021 . Tokyo 2020 – Skateboarding, Women's Street (Prelims) – Heat Results . August 2, 2021 . . July 26, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210726045041/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/resOG2020-/pdf/OG2020-/SKB/OG2020-_SKB_C73SP_SKBWSTREET------------QUAL--------.pdf . dead.
  11. Web site: The Olympics and NBC failed Alana Smith and the non-binary community . Bell . Brian C . July 27, 2021 . Outsports . May 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210726184550/https://www.outsports.com/olympics/2021/7/26/22594536/alana-smith-nbc-bbc-tsn-non-binary-skateboarding-lgbtq . July 26, 2021.
  12. Web site: Nonbinary Olympic Skateboarder Alana Smith Was Misgendered on TV . . Padgett . Donald . 27 July 2021 . 2 August 2021.
  13. Web site: Non-binary skateboarder makes Olympics history – and is misgendered while doing it . . Parsons . Vic . 27 July 2021 . 2 August 2021.
  14. Web site: Unapologetically themself: Nonbinary Olympian shares powerful message . Yurcaba . Jo . July 27, 2021 . NBC News . May 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210727185542/https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/unapologetically-themself-nonbinary-olympian-shares-powerful-message-rcna1520 . July 27, 2021.
  15. Web site: Non-binary Olympic athlete continuously misgendered in sporting commentary . Raza-Sheikh . Zoya . . July 26, 2021 . 2 August 2021.
  16. Web site: Alana Smith - Skateboarding . Team USA . May 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210723223834/https://www.teamusa.org/usa-skateboarding/athletes/Alana-Smith . July 23, 2021.
  17. Web site: Olympic skateboarder Alana Smith on mental health, chosen family and being nonbinary: 'I just felt like I was in the middle' . March 7, 2023 . Yahoo Life . December 6, 2021 . en-US.
  18. Web site: Non-binary Skateboarder Alana Smith Posts a Powerful Message After Competing at Tokyo Olympics . Hendricks . Jaclyn . July 28, 2021 . Shape . May 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210729042913/https://www.shape.com/celebrities/news/alana-smith-non-binary-olympic-skateboarder . July 29, 2021.
  19. Web site: October 11, 2021 . 'We're out here, you're not alone': USA skateboarder Alana Smith tells their coming out story . March 7, 2023 . ESPN.com . en.

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