9-year-old girl wins Joburg leg of skateboarding competition, but her goal is the Olympics

Ashley Gindre is proof that age and gender are not barriers to success in skateboarding.

On Saturday, the nine-year-old won the Johannesburg leg of the Kimberley Diamond Cup competition.

What made the win more impressive was that Gindre was skating against many girls who were a few years older than her.

Though she was competing in the Kimberley Diamond Cup’s under-16 category, she usually competes against women of all ages.

She says this can be tough as her opponents often “have more experience”.

Where she lacks experience, she makes up for it with the fearlessness of youth.

Skateboarding can be dangerous, with broken limbs and head injuries a common occurrence in the sport. Gindre, however, doesn’t let it hold her back.

“I am not scared of falling because I have all my gear on: special knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards and a helmet.

“Although, I did fall and hurt my hip once, but luckily it wasn’t anything serious,” she says.

Ashley has been skateboarding since she was six years old and hasn’t looked back.

“Once I tried skating, I found how much I loved it and didn’t want to stop. I wanted to skate every day,” says Gindre.

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She has ambitious goals as well — she wants to become a professional skateboarder and compete overseas.

“Though I really enjoy skating, I do enjoy having a competition to work towards,” she says.

Competing in the Olympics

Representing her country in the Olympics is also part of her plan.

“I would really love to compete in the Olympics one day. I aim to get into the park skating more than the street skating, as I enjoy the bowl and vert skating more,” she adds.

This competitive spirit is not surprising. Her father, Nick Gindre, was a professional football player. The Argentina-born Nick started his goalkeeping career in England, representing clubs such as AFC Wimbledon, before moving to South Africa to play for AmaZulu and Mpumalanga Black Aces.

After retiring from football, he took up weightlifting and has represented Argentina in the Master’s category of the World Championships.  

Nick says there’s “no question” that Ashley gets her competitiveness from him. “She wants to win at everything that she does!”

He is also not worried about his daughter hurting herself.

“I understand the nature of this sport, there will be a day when she comes off and does get hurt. We do all we can to make sure she has the right protective equipment, that she is training properly so that she is ready when she tries the scary tricks, and making sure that she is working on her fitness so that her body is strong when she does fall.”

The fitness aspect is close to Nick’s heart — after retiring as a footballer, he opened a gym, Functional Training South Africa (FTSA), in Johannesburg.

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He is also not worried about Ashley taking part in a sport that has traditionally been dominated by men. Skateboarding has steadily grown in South Africa over the years, and Nick says he has never witnessed any discrimination towards girls that compete.

“I honestly have been blown away by how amazing everyone has been towards Ash, and the other girls in the sport. You can see how the older skaters, guys and girls, really want to see this little girl do amazing things and are willing to give up their time to give her tips and to show them how to land the trick she is working on. 

“It is a brilliant community!”

Skateboarding’s popularity in South Africa

Ashley’s coach, Sharne Jacobs, says more girls are starting to compete in skateboarding events in South Africa.

“Over the past few years, more girls have been stepping into the competitive scene, showing incredible talent and passion. Events now have dedicated women’s divisions, and the skill level continues to improve,” she says.

Jacobs runs the organisation Girls Skate South Africa. She says this and other initiatives similar to it have “given girls the confidence and space to progress in the sport”. It has also led to brands and sponsors getting more involved and making it more accessible, Jacobs says.

Skateboarding, becoming an Olympic sport, has also helped. Jacobs says people are taking it more seriously now.

“The Olympics gave skateboarding mainstream credibility, attracting new skaters and encouraging those already involved to push themselves further.”

Making skateboarding more accessible

While getting more girls involved in the sport through Girls Skate South Africa, Jacobs also founded the Johannesburg Skate Club, which aims to develop skateboarders in less privileged areas like Soweto and Joburg’s inner city.

“One of our main goals is to make skateboarding accessible to kids from all backgrounds. Many don’t have access to traditional sports due to costs or infrastructure, but skateboarding only requires a board and a safe space. It’s a tool for empowerment, self-expression, and community building.”

Jacobs says skateboarding keeps children engaged and helps them build confidence.

“A few of my students have been placing in national competitions, and one day, I will take them to the Olympics. We’ve also seen first-hand how it can change lives by creating new opportunities, friendships, and even career paths in skateboarding, whether in competition, coaching, or working with brands.”

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