 "Paris Olympics 2024: Skateboarding - history, rules, defending champions")
Skateboarding boasts of a rich and storied past, culminating in its eagerly anticipated Olympic inclusion at the Tokyo Games in 2021. It has been continued for the Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 Olympics programme which means skateboarding is here to stay for the foreseeable future. Although relatively new to the Olympic scene, its impact has been undeniably remarkable.
Skateboarding emerged as a dynamic and youthful sport in the United States during the 1950s, coinciding with the rise of surf culture. Initially embraced as part of the underground, alternative cultural movement in the 1980s, it embodied ideals of freedom, defiance, and excitement.
Over time, skateboarding evolved and gradually gained popularity, becoming increasingly accessible in the early 21st century and captivating a large audience of younger enthusiasts.
What are the rules?
Skateboarding’s top talents will go head-to-head at the Paris Olympic Games, showcasing their skills in the exhilarating disciplines of park and street. Competitors will showcase their tricks, aiming to meet requirements regarding difficulty, speed, and range of moves.
The competition comprises of two stages: preliminary rounds and finals.
In the park event, athletes navigate a diverse course featuring bowls and sharp turns to build momentum and execute aerial tricks.
In skateboarding competitions, participants are evaluated based on the height and speed of the tricks executed during jumps, along with their skill in utilising the entire surface and overcoming obstacles. Each skater completes three 45-second runs, with their top performance counting towards their overall score.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsStreet contests are held on a linear course that simulates typical urban settings where skateboarding originated, featuring elements like stairs and handrails.
Competitors showcase various tricks and are critiqued on their board control throughout the two 45-second runs and five trick attempts.
What is skateboarding’s history at Olympics?
Skateboarding was introduced at the Tokyo Olympics for the very first time. It has found aplace for the upcoming Paris Olympics and will also feature at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
Who triumphed at the Tokyo Olympics?
At the Tokyo Olympics, Japanese athletes dominated the skateboarding events winning three out of four gold medals and a total of five medals out of 12. Yuto Horigome kicked off the domination by winning the men’s street competition, with Momiji Nishiya and Sakura Yosozumi securing gold in the women’s street and park events, respectively.
The women’s podiums were all teenage athletes, with an average age of just over 14. Notably, Cocona Hiraki, at 12 years old, became the youngest Olympic medalist since 1936 with her silver in women’s park.
The only event not claimed by a Japanese skater was the men’s park, where Australia’s Keegan Palmer took the gold medal. This marked a remarkable showing by Japanese and other young skaters, showcasing the evolving landscape of skateboarding at the Olympics.
Men’s Street
🥇: Yuto Horigome (JPN)
🥈: Kelvin Hoefler (BRA)
🥉: Jagger Eaton (USA)
Women’s Street
🥇: Momiji Nishiya (JPN)
🥈: Rayssa Leal (BRA)
🥉: Funa Nakayama (JPN)
Men’s Park
🥇: Keegan Palmer (AUS)
🥈: Pedro Barros (BRA)
🥉: Cory Juneau (USA)
Women’s Park
🥇: Sakura Yosozumi (JPN)
🥈: Cocona Hiraki (JPN)
🥉: Sky Brown (GBR)
Who are the athletes to watch in skateboarding?
Jagger Eaton, United States: While the teams haven’t been announced just yet, Eaton won bronze in the street contest in Tokyo and is expected to become the first person to compete in the Olympics in both park and street in Paris. He became the first athlete to win park and street world championships when he captured the park title in February 2023.
Sky Brown, Britain: The 15-year-old phenom is expected to compete in her second Olympics after becoming her country’s youngest medal winner in Tokyo when she won bronze in the park contest at just 13 years and 28 days old. A two-sport star, she came just short of also qualifying for the surfing competition in Paris.
Nyjah Huston, United States: The 29-year-old Huston was favored to win gold in street at Tokyo but finished a disappointing seventh. He should contend for a medal this time around after recovering from an ACL tear.
Arisa Trew, Australia: The 14-year-old is expected to make her Olympic debut competing in the park contest. Trew gained notoriety last year when she became the first female to execute a 720 trick, first made famous by skateboarding legend Tony Hawk in 1985. The trick involves making two full rotations in the air.
Ginwoo Onodera, Japan: Now 14, Onodera won the men’s street competition at the X Games last May when he was just 13. The Japanese star won bronze at the World Skateboarding Championship in 2023 and became the youngest national champion in Japan’s history when he was 12.
What is the venue for skateboarding at Paris Olympics?
Skateboarding will feature a beautiful backdrop when it takes place at the Place de La Concorde in the center of Paris situated in front of the Eiffel Tower.
When will skateboarding take place at Paris Olympics?
Men’s Street preliminary rounds and finals are on 27 July. Women’s Street prelims and finals will take place on 28 July.
Women’s Park prelims and finals are on 6 August. Men’s Park prelims and finals will be held on 7 August.
(with inputs from AP)
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