'Fadinha' from RS: Maria Lúcia is a promise of skateboarding, overcame floods and climbed to the podium The young skateboarder from Canoas, in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre, Maria Lúcia Rocha, 16 years old, built her path in skateboarding based on her relationship with her family and the city where she started riding as a child. On the 5th, she achieved the main result of her career by winning the STU National circuit title, after winning three of the five stages. His contact with skateboarding began informally, when he accompanied his father on the slopes. "It's my job. I've been introduced to skateboarding since an early age. When I was little, I mostly rode for fun, to spend time with my father on the rink. When I was 11 or 12, I started to really train and learn tricks," she said. ? Access the g1 RS channel on WhatsApp The father's presence was also decisive in choosing the sport. Maria Lúcia remembers that she attended championships before she even competed. “I was always inspired by my father, who competed in championships, because I went with him to watch. Then I started participating in championships, always very shy. I was a beginner.” The decision to take skateboarding seriously came after watching the Tokyo Olympics, seeing skaters like Fadinha, Rayssa Leal, climb the podium. “After the Tokyo Olympics, I saw several girls walking around and realized that I could be there too,” he said. With a trajectory that includes experiences on and off the slopes, Maria Lúcia associates her evolution in skateboarding with her own history built in her hometown, where she started riding and maintains personal and family ties. In 2024, Canoas was hit by floods, which directly impacted the athlete's routine. That year, the family's house was hit and had to be rescued. Despite the situation, Maria Lúcia debuted on the professional circuit at the 2024 Brazilian Championship, held during the period. The experience marked the beginning of his career at national level. In 2025, she started competing more frequently. "It was a more difficult year. I went to several competitions, got on the podium, but came in second or third place", he said. The STU national title came after a turning point in his career, with gold in the Youth Pan and victory in the selective in Rio. Personal archive The turning point came from experiences outside the main circuit. At the Youth Pan, in Paraguay, he won a gold medal. “My gold medal was an incentive for me to keep skating.” Afterwards, he won a tryout in Rio de Janeiro, guaranteeing a place in one of the sport's championships. Throughout this period, the skateboarder continued to build her career based on her daily training and experiences accumulated in competitions. In 2026, after a third place in a stage of Skate Total Urb (STU) at Orla do Guaíba, in Porto Alegre, she says she changed the way she approached the season. "I got it into my head that I wasn't going to let this happen again. I worked hard for each stage and, in the end, I was circuit champion, on my own merit." In addition to the results, Maria Lúcia also provides a reading on the female skateboarding space. For her, the growth of the sport requires more visibility and encouragement. "Women's skateboarding has been evolving more and more. The appreciation, compared to men's, has increased, but it still needs more encouragement", he stated. VIDEOS: Everything about RS