A skateboarding veteran is interviewed by Olympics.com about how the sport has changed since Tokyo 2020 in 2021 and whether it is breaking new ground as skateboarding gets ready for its second Olympic appearance in Paris 2024.
That’s the constant pursuit for most
From first mastering balance to landing an ollie, which acts as a gateway to a whole new realm of tricks; skateboarding lures its participants into wanting more and more.
Since its inclusion in the Olympic Games, skateboarding – once a fringe counter-cultural movement – has become increasingly more mainstream. The global feel of the Olympic qualifiers for reveals the extent it has conquered the world, and the upward thrust by unknown newcomers is evidence of its accessibility.
But what, if anything, has Olympic inclusion and global spread done for the progression of the sport?
How, if at all, has it evolved?
“I think that skating has finally come of age,” Tony Hawk said in an interview with Laureus for Olympics.com. “There is parity and equality, and it’s something that’s long overdue.
“If you look at skateboarding, the state of skateboarding, now, if you just go to a skate park, it’s probably very crowded. There are people of all genders, people of all ages, of all backgrounds, races, and they’re all enjoying it together. And I can’t think of any other sport that truly is inclusive like that.
He continued: “Yes, it was more male-dominated in the past, maybe 20 years ago, even 10 years ago, but all that’s changed and much for the better.”
