Tokyo, Japan - The first-ever Olympic gold in women's skateboarding has gone to 13-year-old Momiji Nishiya of Japan in the street event at the Ariake Sports Park.

Nishiya posted 15.26 points to beat two fellow teenagers to the gold, with 13-year-old Rayssa Leal of Brazil (14.64) winning silver and Japan's 16-year-old Funa Nakayama (14.49) taking bronze.

The trio are believed to be the youngest Olympic podium on record, Olympics.com reported.

"I didn't think I could win, but everyone around me cheered me on so I'm glad I was able to find my groove," said Nishiya, who was runner-up at the skateboarding world championships in Rome earlier this year.

Each athlete in the eight-woman final had to make two runs of 45 seconds and show five tricks marked by judges, with the worst scrapped.

Nishiya failed to land her first two tricks, before nailing her final three and pulling ahead to claim the top spot. She was the only competitor to land the fifth and final trick.

Japan has won the first two golds on offer in skateboarding at the Games, as Yuto Horigome took the men's street on Sunday.

Skateboarding, along with surfing, karate and sport climbing, is making its debut at the Games as the International Olympic Committee aims to appeal to a younger audience through popular sports.

And the age of Monday's medallists suggests that the profile of skateboarding at least fits the bill.

"She is a prodigy. She's exceptional," said American Alexis Sablone, who finished fourth. "It's wild to see. And Momiji too. They're exceptional.

"For a long time there were way fewer females doing this. It's taken until now to get enough people to pay attention, to get enough eyes on it, to inspire girls around the world to start skating."

There is also massive jeopardy in skateboarding, as Brazilian world number one Pamela Rosa and compatriot Leticia Bufoni failed to reach the final despite being strong medal contenders.

"Sometimes you almost land something and you just slip out," said Sablone. "That's the difference between you making it into the finals or not.

"You can practice all day long, and you can still get out there and blow it."

Leal's second placing sees Brazil win the first two silvers on offer in the discipline, after Kelvin Hoefler took runner-up in the men's street.

More skateboarding medals will be up for grabs in the park discipline on August 4-5.