Different countries award different prizes for the Olympics. Most give some financial figure, while it has been reported that others add on bonuses like a house. The ask of a 14-year-old to her family was much different:
Australian skateboarder Arisa Trew secured a promise from her parents that if she won gold, she could get a pet duck. With that extra motivation, she won.
“My parents promised if I won the gold medal I would get a pet duck,” she said to Australian outlet nine.com.au. “Because they are really cute, then I can take it on walks and take it to the skate park.”
She added that her parents wouldn’t allow a dog or cat due to the amount of travel of the family, but Trew felt like “a duck might be a little easier.” Apparently, her dad gave the thumbs-up, but her mom remained hesitant. Trew proposed the stipulation of her winning gold, and her mother approved.
“It will just be in my yard and I’ll get a little pool thing for it,” said.
“I’m going to take the duck to the skatepark as well,” she added in a video interview posted to Reddit.
Trew, who has been skateboarding since she was 8, won gold with a score of 93.18 on her final run, which included two 540s. Legend Tony Hawk, who gave tips to Trew last year to help her become the first girl to land a 720, complimented Trew on the gold medal.
“Congratulations to Arisa Trew on her epic last run in women’s park finals this afternoon, landing her to a well-deserved gold medal,” Hawk posted to Instagram, according to Nine.
She has the gold and the praise from Hawk, but it’s unclear if she has the final prize: the promised pet duck.