One of the most successful female skaters in the world, Lizzie Armanto (left, with skateboarder Alex White) got her start in 2007 when she and her brother signed up for a local skate clinic. Twelve years later, she's won over 30 skateboarding awards and is the first (and only) woman to successfully skate Tony Hawk's infamous 360 loop (a ramp that literally goes in a circle).
Over those years, she said, "skateboarding has grown immensely," especially on the women's side. "We have seen the equality gap shrink. We have an equal number of events and prize money." Meanwhile, the level of competition within women's skateboarding has shot up. The distance between lower- and higher-ranked women is lessening, bringing the podium within reach to a bigger and more talented group of skaters.
(Read more about Lizzie's journey, experiences with sexism, and Olympic plans here.)
