Featured Image Credit: Olympics/Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Topics: Sport, Olympics, World News
Rhianna Benson
Topics: Sport, Olympics, World News
When news broke earlier this week that China's youngest athlete ever would be competing in the 2024 Olympic Games, spectators had countless questions and concerns regarding qualification age.
In fact, a handful of viewers went on to claim it was 'criminal' to allow someone so young to compete professionally against sporting men and women who were at the top of their game.
Ever since landing on Parisian soil last month, all eyes have been on Chinese skateboarding athlete Zheng Haohao.
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The youngster landed a staggering 540 spin at the Budapest Olympic Qualifier Series in Hungary, allow to sail right through to the prestigious games, having achieved a world ranking of 26th.
And the rising star has has kept spectators eating out the palm of her hand ever since.
Taking to the Place de La Concorde’s park bowl on Tuesday (6 Aug), she made history as the youngest sportswoman ever to compete on behalf of the Republic of China, where she performed in the women's park prelims.
Naturally, therefore, her age has been somewhat of a hot topic amongst onlookers.
It wasn't until news of Haohao's birthday hit the headlines in the midst of the tournament, however, that sports fans realised how baby-faced she really is.
That's because it was previously revealed that she was born slap bang in the middle of the 2012 sporting tournament in London.
So, yep. That makes her 11-year-old - nearly 12.
Horrified? Flabberghasted? Old af? Honestly, babe. Same.
Don't worry, though. it isn't just you and I who were sent reeling by news of the youngster's birth date.
Taking to the comments of Haohao's identification card post during the height of the tournament, one person wrote: "I've been playing minecraft longer than she's been alive, now I feel old," as another said: "I don’t understand 2012 was two years ago."
Someone else wrote: "Gen alpha tony hawk."
Others wondered how she'd even been allowed to qualify at her age.
It turns out, however, that there's actually no age limit for participating in the Olympic Games but rather it is down to the rules set by the International Sport's Federation for each sport, according to the International Olympic Committee.
I know, who knew?
Despite her initial successes in the Olympic qualifiers, Haohao sadly fell short of the requirements needed to advance any further in the competition.
In the first set of heats, the young star fell in two out of three of her runs, leaving eight more successful competitors storming ahead.
Eventually, Australia's Arisa Trew stole the Gold at the end of the women's skateboarding finals, leaving Japan's Kokona Hiraki with Silver and Team GB's Sky Brown with Bronze.
We have no doubt, however, that Haohao has a long and bright Olympic future ahead of her.