{{Short description|South African skateboarder (born 1998)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Brandon Valjalo | fullname = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1998|7|11}} | birth_place = Johannesburg, South Africa | height = 1.76m | weight = 72.5kg | country = {{flag|South Africa}} | sport = Skateboarding | event = Street | turnedpro = 2018 <!-- Achievements and titles --> | worlds = 45th place | nationals = 4x South African Champion (2014,2015,2016,2021,2024) | olympics = 18th Place Tokyo & 12th Place Paris 24’ | highestranking = 1st National Skate Association Ranking; 5th on Fise World Pro Series; 11th World Cup ranking; 33rd World Skate ranking | pb = 1st Youth World Championships (2014); 1st Continental Championships (2017); 1st National Championships (2021); 18th Olympic Games (2021); 1st National Championships (2024); 12th Olympic Games (2024) <!-- Medal record --> | medaltemplates = | imagesize = }} '''Brandon Valjalo''' (born 11 July 1998) is a South African professional skateboarder who competed in the men's street event at the 2020 Summer Olympics. He also competed at the men's street event in Paris. Valjalo is pioneering African Skateboarding by Hosting events and workshops around Africa including Egypt, Kenya and South Africa to name a few countries.
==Career== Born and raised in Johannesburg,<ref name="soweto">{{cite news|url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/2021-07-09-as-skateboarding-makes-olympic-debut-sas-brandon-valjalo-books-his-spot/|title=As skateboarding makes Olympic debut' SA's Brandon Valjalo books his spot|work=The Sowetan|first=Ofentse|last=Ratsie|date=9 July 2021|access-date=25 July 2021}}</ref> Valjalo first stood on a skateboard at the age of three when he found his brother's old board.<ref name="gulf">{{cite news|url=https://www.gulftoday.ae/lifestyle/2021/04/29/south-africas-skateboarding-star-brandon-valjalo-sets-sights-on-olympics|title=South Africa's skateboarding star, Brandon Valjalo, sets sights on Olympics|work=Gulf Today|date=29 April 2021|access-date=25 July 2021}}</ref> He initially began skating as a hobby, but he started winning competitions around the age of nine and began to focus on it after that.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://fourwaysreview.co.za/325846/kyalami-resident-brando-valjalo-is-a-master-on-a-skateboard/|title=Kyalami resident Brando Valjalo is a master on a skateboard|work=Fourways Review|first=Robyn|last=Kirk|date=25 February 2020|access-date=25 July 2021}}</ref> He drew inspiration from watching Ryan Sheckler on the television show ''Life of Ryan''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://africaskateboardingdiary.com/2016/03/03/brandon-vaijalo-talk-about-his-skate-life/|title=Brandon Valjalo Talk About His Skate Life|work=Africa Skateboarding Diary|date=3 March 2016|access-date=25 July 2021}}</ref> He would often have to take long drives around the city to find safe spots to practice.<ref name=gulf/>
Valjalo made his debut on the local professional scene in 2013,<ref name=gulf/> and then won the South African as well as the world youth championship title at the 2014 Kimberley Diamond Cup.<ref name=soweto/> He successfully defended his South African title in 2015 before the Kimberley Diamond Cup was discontinued.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.africanskateproject.com/kdc-south-african-street-championships-2015-recap/|title=KDC – South African Street Championships 2015 Recap|work=African Skate Project|date=10 October 2015|access-date=25 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/province-faces-r400m-bill-for-canceled-skate-event-9180277|title=Province faces R400m bill for canceled skate event|work=Independent Online|first=Murray|last=Swart|date=17 May 2017|access-date=25 July 2021}}</ref> Valjalo finished first at the 2017 Ultimate X festival to become the African skateboarding champion,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.goodthingsguy.com/sport/brandon-valjalo-set-to-represent-team-south-africa-at-the-olympics/|title=Brandon Valjalo Set to Represent Team South Africa at the Olympics!|work=Good Things Guy|first=Jazz|last=Kuschke|date=8 July 2021|access-date=25 July 2021}}</ref> and he joined the World Cup of Skateboarding tour later that year.<ref name="tokyo">{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/skateboarding/athlete-profile-n1319496-valjalo-brandon.htm|title=Brandon Valjalo|publisher=Tokyo 2020|access-date=26 July 2021|archive-date=26 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726081139/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/skateboarding/athlete-profile-n1319496-valjalo-brandon.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> He also competed at the World Skateboarding Championship in 2019 and 2021, finishing in 45th and 69th place, respectively.<ref name=tokyo/>
Valjalo qualified for the men's street competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics, earning his spot as number 45 in the World, which made him the number one ranked skater in Africa despite his overall world ranking.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.worldskate.org/news/44-discipline/skateboarding/3353-the-list-of-future-olympic-skateboarders-is-official.html|title=The List of Future Olympic Skateboarders is Official!!!|publisher=World Skate|date=9 June 2021|access-date=26 July 2021}}</ref> At the Tokyo Games, he made history as South Africa's first-ever Olympic skateboarder.<ref name="news">{{cite news|url=https://www.news24.com/sport/othersport/olympics2020/sa-skater-brandon-valjalo-tried-his-best-with-broken-wrist-ill-work-harder-for-the-next-one-20210725|title=SA skater Brandon Valjalo tried his best with broken wrist: 'I'll work harder for the next one'|work=News24|date=25 July 2021|access-date=26 July 2021}}</ref> Despite breaking his wrist a few days before the preliminary heats, he competed with his arm in a plaster cast and finished 18th overall.<ref name=news/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://valjalo.co.za/ Official website] * {{Olympedia|146483}} * [https://www.instagram.com/brands_valjalo / Social media]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valjalo, Brandon}} Category:Living people Category:1998 births Category:South African skateboarders Category:Olympic skateboarders for South Africa Category:Skateboarders at the 2020 Summer Olympics Category:Sportspeople from Johannesburg Category:Skateboarders at the 2024 Summer Olympics Category:21st-century South African sportsmen