Skateboarding in the Olympics

Although the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have been canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, skateboarding is still set to be one of the sports featured in the next Olympics. The popularity of skateboarding has grown over time and this increase in popularity has been a catalyst for its entry in the Olympics.
Skateboarding’s debut in the upcoming Olympics, whenever that may be, is said to consist of two competitions: a street competition and a park competition.

Both the street and park competitions have two rounds: prelims and finals. In prelims, twenty skaters will compete in four heats of five skaters. The first eight skaters from the combined heats will progress to finals.

In the street competition, skaters will perform two 45-second runs as well as five tricks. Their performance will be scored on a 0-10.0 point scale. The highest and lowest scores for each run or trick are dropped. The remaining three scores are averaged resulting in the final score.

In the park competition, the skater’s best of three 45-second runs will count as their final score. This will be judged on a 0-100.00 point scale. The highest and lowest scores for each run are dropped, the remaining three scores are averaged out resulting in the final score. Also, the skater’s four highest run or trick scores are added to create their final round scores.

Many are excited to see this new addition to the Olympics as the hype around skateboarding has grown. Tony Hawk, possibly one of the most well known competitive skaters of all time, had this to say about skateboarding being in the Olympics: “I have confidence that Olympic skateboarding will inspire a new, diverse generation to embrace skateboarding as a lifestyle, a culture, and an art form.”

Alternatively, some do not agree with skateboarding being in the Olympics. There is a petition on thepetitionsite.com created by a user under the name of “Clarkie Clark” who thinks that “skateboarding is not a sport” and, therefore, should not be in the Olympics. This petition has over 7,500 supporters and is very close to reaching their 10,000 supporter goal.

However, a sport is defined as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” Skateboarding possesses all of those qualities and, therefore, has a well-deserved place in the Olympics.

Even though the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have been canceled and there is some controversy surrounding it, the long-awaited addition to the next Olympics has skateboarders and fans very excited.