Losing her shot at an Olympic medal was the best thing for Chloe Covell
The 14-year-old was in tears after her devastating loss in Paris, with some saying she's too young to handle the pressure and should never have been there in the first place.
High School
Don't miss out on the headlines from High School. Followed categories will be added to My News.
You won’t always win.
It’s a good lesson for parents to teach their kids.
Even if you’ve practiced, done your level best, tried to anticipate every outcome, sometimes you’ll be disappointed anyway.
I don’t mean this in a mopey, Eeyore way, but life can be like that.
Australian skateboarding prodigy Chloe Covell learned this tough lesson on Monday morning in Paris as the 14-year-old’s hopes for an Olympic medal slipped away.
It was a promising start, with Chloe qualifying to compete for a medal.
A score of 70.33 in the street section stood her in good stead for a win, but she lost the medal position in her final runs, scoring 45.46 after attempting a set of complex tricks.
Fans watched 2023’s X Games gold medalist in tears as she finished eighth.
Her dad and coach, Luke Covell comforted her.
Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this.
Chloe Covell’s loss was actually a win
My eldest is turning 13 this year; he’s just a year younger than Chloe.
Although he’s not sporty in the least, indulge me for a minute while I imagine him in Chloe’s shoes as a passionate athlete, hell bent on competing for an Olympic medal.
RELATED: Paris Olympics mascots go through the final rehearsals ahead of the opening ceremony
And I also imagine myself in her dad’s shoes, a parent trying to balance letting a kid follow their dream, and wanting to protect them because no matter how old they are, they’ll always be our precious, snuggly babies.
Some might say that Chloe was far too young to withstand the incredible pressure of competing in a sport at an Olympic level.
Introducing our new podcast: Mum Club! Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode.
They might say that her emotional reaction after losing was proof that she’s not ready.
But if a child has clearly demonstrated interest and capacity, who are we as parents to put barriers in their way in the name of age-appropriateness?
RELATED: Internet losing its mind over ‘hilarious’ Paris 2024 mascot
When Chloe set out to compete in Paris, no one could say whether she would get a medal or not. But what if she had? Then would people think it was worth it?
She's showed not only great promise, but she's proven her talent, skill and that she's got the determination and discipline to win.
But on the flipside, is winning the only reason why an athlete slogs their guts out in training and goes on to bravely compete? No way.
She’s 14 years old and she’s already achieved more success than any armchair critic.
Chloe Covell recovers from loss
Even though the whole world saw her emotions laid bare on Monday morning, Chloe Covell recovered quickly, proving she's not only a skateboarding prodigy, but a humble athlete and a good person.
“I’m super proud of myself. I tried my best. You know the crowd is really amazing. So that’s all I could do,” she said in an interview with Dylan Alcott.
“I was trying to have fun. Just do everything 100 percent. Just try my best.”
RELATED: Secret meaning behind Matilda star Hayley Raso’s tattoo
And in case anyone forgot, Chloe is only 14. She’s got a few more shots at Olympic gold and everyone knows it.
“Definitely going to come back, better and stronger for the next one (LA 2028),” she said.
It’s a more measured, mature response than a lot of adults could muster, proving Chloe is wise beyond her 14 years.
But she’s also still a kid. How do we know? Because she said she planned to celebrate by eating “so many lollies”.
More Coverage
Originally published as Losing her shot at an Olympic medal was the best thing for Chloe Covell
‘My son’s parent-teacher interview had me in tears’
"I sat down in front of his PE teacher, and she said, ‘I think you need to hear this’."
Mum shares her X-rated request she asks of teenage son
"Society has lost its values, integrity, and decency."