Eight-year-old Zarah Ann Gladys made history when she navigated the bowls, curves, and ramps of the hollowed-out park area within the Dubai Harbour—the venue of the World Skateboarding Tour 2024 (WST 2024), situated next to the famous Palm Jumeirah archipelago. As the youngest participant at the WST 2024—a crucial step on the 'Road to Paris' for skateboarders aiming to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games—this Indian child prodigy hailing from Kochi, Kerala, performed stalls and flip tricks to earn a respectable score of 8.50, finishing 61st in the qualifying round on February 29.
Skateboarding competitions can broadly be classified into two categories: park and street skateboarding. Skateboarders are assessed based on the height and speed of their tricks during jumps, as well as their ability to utilise the terrain. The qualifying round in which Gladys participated was topped by Yosozumi Sakura, Japan’s 21-year-old Olympic skateboard champion. During a Zoom interview with THE WEEK, Gladys couldn't contain her excitement about competing alongside Sakura and other prominent figures in the world of skateboarding. "Hasegawa Mizuho, Sakura, Ruby [Lilley]," Gladys listed some of her idols whom she had met during competitions. "My daughter is a big fan of [15-year-old British-Japanese skateboarder] Sky Brown. Unfortunately, Brown wasn't part of this World Tour," said Chintu Davis, Gladys’s father, who operates a water and wastewater systems business in Dubai.
Gladys began skateboarding at the age of four during the Covid-19 pandemic. "She became interested after watching her friends practise," explained Davis. "So, for her fifth birthday, her mother - Annie Gracias - and I gifted her a skateboard." Since then, Gladys has participated in numerous competitions, secured titles, and received support from the Roller Skating Federation of India. In December 2022, she won a silver medal at India’s National Roller-Skating Championships in the under-9 age group. She made her international debut at the Skateboarding Park World Championship 2023 in Rome the previous year. Following in her footsteps, Gladys's sister, Karen Joe, 4, has also taken up skating. Karen began skating at two. When THE WEEK asked Gladys if she had taught her sister how to skate, she said, "I didn't give her any tips; she just observed and learned the tricks on her own."
The Dubai event was a pivotal moment for skateboarders aiming to enhance their Olympic World Skate Ranking for the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, Gladys has her sights set not on Paris but on Los Angeles. Her dream is to represent India in park skateboarding at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Davis explains that it was for this dream that the family of four relocated from Dubai to Sharjah. "The Aljada Skate Park in Sharjah boasts Olympic-level quality facilities. In recent years, World Championships have been held there. To ensure our kids have access to the best facilities, we made the move to Sharjah," he said. The family opted to allow Gladys to participate in international competitions early on to provide her with early exposure to Olympic-level competition. This decision came at a huge price, though - over 15,000 AED (approximately Rs 3.3 lakh) for participation alone.
Gladys is currently under the guidance of Colombian professional coach Sergio. She practises four to five days a week, adjusting her schedule according to the weather. "We typically spend three to four hours at the park during our practice sessions," Davis said. "School is from 7am to 3.30pm. After returning from school, she takes a nap before heading to the park around eight o'clock – it remains open until 1am. Due to the hot climate here, night is the most suitable time for practice."
The grade II student at GEMS Our Own English High School, Sharjah, gets all the support at her alma mater. Davis said that the school accommodates Gladys's competition schedule by allowing breaks for competitions. "She missed three exams when she participated in WST 2024. But, the school is giving her retests."
