Young Alegado kickflips to career-best No. 20 in world skateboard rankings

Mazel Paris Alegado

STAR / Russell Palma

MANILA, Philippine — Filipina skateboarder Mazel Paris Alegado, who turned heads in last year’s Southeast Asian Games, made a significant jump in the world rankings.

Alegado soared seven spots to a career-high No. 20 in the latest World Skateboard Ranking, per worldskate.org.

The rising star, who turned 12 last March 4, recently made her debut in the World Skateboarding Championships, which ran from March 1-8 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The United States-based Alegado burst to national consciousness when, at 11 years old, she ruled the women’s park finals in the extreme skateboard event of the 33rd SEA Games in Bangkok, Thailand last year to win the gold medal.

Her performance made her the youngest Filipino to win a SEA Games gold.

Alegado was already a headline-maker in 2023 when she competed in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China at nine — the youngest member of Team Philippines.