This 16-year-old skateboard medalist went from holey shoes to ... holy shoe deal!

If you look at the Instagram feed of Olympic skateboarding medalist Rayssa Leal, you might be surprised to see a pair of old shoes with holes in them. They're a part of her story — and a symbol of how skateboarding has transformed her life.

Rayssa Leal became an internet sensation almost 9 years ago when a video of the then 7-year-old skateboarding in a bright blue, sparkly princess dress with fairy wings went viral. It earned her the nickname “fadinha do skate” — “little skateboarding fairy.” Soon she was being called “fadinha” — “little fairy” — in Portuguese. LTC Eugene Chu Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Maj Kim Patterson Maj (Join to see) Capt Walter Miller Capt Dwayne Conyers CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana MSgt Steve Sweeney MSG Stan Hutchison MSgt Michael Bischoff MSgt Neil Greenfield MSgt Ken "Airsoldier" Collins-Hardy SCPO Morris Ramsey PO1 Tony Holland PO1 Brian Austin SSG Robert Mark Odom SGT Charlie Lee SP5 Dennis Loberger CPL LaForest Gray SrA John Monette