There was a lot to be excited about on Wednesday at the 2024 Paris Olympic skateboarding event.
For those in attendance, the atmosphere was electric. The sun shone brightly, and the air was filled with the sound of rolling wheels and cheering fans, full of energy as skaters from all over the world took to the course.
"It blows my mind they can even stay on the board for three tricks in a row. I can’t do any of those tricks on my feet, let alone on wheels," said Brooke Walker, an Olympic fan visiting from Detroit.
One indication that the competition this year is really fierce was the fact that 2023 world champion and Team USA competitor Gavin Bottger failed to make the top eight, which would qualify him for the finals.
“If I had a run like that once in my life, I’d retire a happy man,” said Mark Richardson, a fan from Canada, after watching Bottger nail his second run.
Surrounded by younger competitors was Andy Macdonald, an American-born skater competing for Great Britain at 51 years old.
"It’s cool to see a person 30 years older than everyone else. I’m almost 40 and I for sure wouldn’t like hitting the cement," Richardson said.
Though Macdonald didn't advance to the next round, his backflip at the end of his run drew applause from skateboard legend Tony Hawk. MacDonald finished his final run with a huge smile, telling his kids through the camera connected on screen, "Your dad's in the Olympics!"
"A lot of people forget you have to learn how to fall too," said Jackson Wilkins, a retired skater who attended the qualifying round on Wednesday. "You have to commit to that to prevent injury and be able to keep going the next run. The average person would just slam into the cement."
Hampus Winberg from Sweden landed an impressive string of eight tricks in a row, earning a standing ovation from the crowd. The cheering turned to booing once his score of only 82.58 was shown on screen.
"I assumed he’d be in the top 3 over Keegan Palmer with a 93.78, but I guess the judges can see something we can't,” Wilkins said.
The subjective nature of the scoring kept fans on the edge of their seat.
Heat 3 was particularly thrilling, with Pedro Barros stealing the show.
“Barros will go absolutely crazy. He just sends it, it’s unreal,” said Riley Lewis, 24,a skate fan visiting from Canada.
Skaters like Augusto Akio from Brazil, known for juggling during warm-ups, and Alex Sorgente from Italy, who approaches tricks backwards, were among those to watch.
“Alex Sorgente always brings something new. His technique stands out,” Lewis said. “Going into things backwards? That’s just next level.”
The top eight scores headed to the final later that day. Keegan Palmer of Australia held his ranking and secured the gold. USA’s Tom Schaar won silver and Brazil’s Augusto Akio took home bronze.
During Heat 4, Dallas Oberholzer from South Africa, another older competitor, drew cheers from the crowd. “Dallas is an inspiration to the entire skating community, so he has fans wherever he goes,” said Riley. “There aren’t high-tech skating facilities in South Africa, but he still shows up. He shows age is just a number and real passion never has to fade.”
At 49, Olberholzer knew he wasn’t favored to win the competition. Although he only scored 33.83, Oberholzer was happy to be there. His fist-pumping reaction and the crowd's standing ovation were unforgettable.