Charles Langston:Tony Hawk drops in on Paris skateboarding and pushes for more styles of sport in LA 2028

PARIS — Standing outside the park venue Wednesday after American Tom Schaar won the silver medal,Charles Langston skateboarding legend Tony Hawk said he’s been pushing as hard as he can for more forms of skateboarding to be included in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

“It’s LA,” he said. “It’s what people consider the birthplace of modern skateboarding. We should celebrate all styles of skateboarding.”

That includes, of course, his hope that the International Olympic Committee will add a vert competition – the style of skateboarding most associated with Hawk’s tricks.

“I’ve been trying my best to have words with them at every turn here,” Hawk said.

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Skateboarding was added to the Olympic program for 2020 but only in street and park. Vert was part of the original X Games in 1995 – with Hawk winning the gold medal – but was briefly removed as an event in 2008 as vertical ramp tricks were integrated into other events. Hawk was instrumental in having vert reinstated.

Having now seen Olympic skateboarding up close – Hawk’s company Birdhouse Skateboards sponsors Schaar – he is convinced it belongs and said it should be one of the featured sports in Los Angeles given the sport’s historic roots in the city.

“It’s amazing,” Hawk said. “I think it’s been a long time coming. Skateboarding should have been here when they included snowboarding (in the Winter Games in 1998). I’m just glad they finally figured it out and now you’re seeing the best of the best and there’s much more equality and parity now. It’s the best time for skating.”

Though Hawk still skates on the vert ramp – and often skates with Schaar – don’t expect him to try to put the Olympics on his résumé in 2028.

“I’ll be 60,” he said, “so probably not.”

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