2024 Olympic Games: Skateboarding, a thrilling and widely-loved sport, takes over the Concorde

Introduction

From atop the Luxor obelisk in the midst of the Concorde Square, skaters from all over the world will be observed by centuries to come. Some are still adolescents, almost children for a few, competing for the gold and glory of Olympus with their tricks, jumps, rolls, and inevitably, a few painful falls. Skateboarding, now an official Olympic discipline at the Tokyo Games in 2021, will be one of the highlights of Paris 2024. The International Olympic Committee has designed it as a means to rejuvenate its audience – a goal shared by many established institutions. Tickets have been selling fast since the opening, and athletes will perform in front of packed stands on Saturday, July 27th for the men’s street competition, and Sunday, July 28th for the women. Skateboarding, described as “organized chaos” by American skater Jagger Eaton, had to tame down a bit to blend into the Olympic elite. It had to adhere to very strict rules, a stark contrast to the rebellious, urban, and insurgent spirit of skateboarding from the 1960s when unruly Californian kids began playing with their boards and wheels.

Competition and Regulation

The regulation sets a clear distinction between street and park skateboarding. The street competition simulates urban spaces with ramps, stairs, and benches, while the park event takes place in a bowl with various obstacles. Skaters perform forty-five-second runs followed by attempting five acrobatic tricks (for street). A five-member jury evaluates these tricks and gives scores from 0 to 100, eliminating the lowest and highest scores, with the average of the remaining three determining the final score. After the initial round, only eight skaters out of twenty-two proceed to the final, which follows the same rules.

Skateboarding Culture and Transition to French

The skateboarding culture heavily relies on American vocabulary, from board components to obstacles and, notably, tricks, where the athlete’s body interacts as much as the skateboard itself. The French cultural spirit influenced the inclusion of new terms in the Official Journal of the French Republic after consultation with the Commission for the Enrichment of the French Language. The skatepark is now called an urban boardwalk (street) or a bowl boardwalk (park). Tricks have also been renamed in the Official Journal: “figure” for “trick,” “grab” for “grab,” “jump” for “ollie,” “land” for “catch,” “twist” for “flip,” and so on.

Risks and Injuries

Skateboarding is a sport where falls are inevitable, leading to injuries. American star Nyjah Huston sustained a slight knee injury during training days before the Paris 2024 Games. The sport emphasizes risk-taking and bodily strain after years of practice. Falling is seen as a testament to seeking personal improvement and tackling real challenges. The American legend Paul Rodriguez’s words resonate across the skating community: “You will fall more often than you will land, and the sooner you accept this, the better.” Athletes acknowledge the fear of injury growing with age, as recovery becomes more time-consuming. The dedication to rehabilitation and handling injuries becomes integral to sustaining careers in skateboarding. At the Tokyo Games in 2021, Japanese skaters secured three out of four gold medals, while Brazilians claimed three silver medals.

Author: Luc Bronner