Paris Olympics: What to know and who to watch during the skateboarding competition

A roadmap to follow for the skateboarding competition during the Paris Olympics:

Athletes to Watch

—Jagger Eaton, United States: Eaton won bronze in the street contest in Tokyo. 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 16-year-old phenom will compete in her second Olympics after becoming her country’s youngest medal winner in Tokyo when she won bronze in the park contest at 13 years, 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 Trew will make her Olympic debut competing in the park contest. She 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.

Storylines to Follow

The competition will feature a beautiful backdrop at the Place de La Concorde in the center of the city situated in front of the Eiffel Tower. Watching Trew and Brown compete in the park contest should be a treat with the two youngsters sure to wow on the world’s biggest stage.

Key Dates

Men’s street prelims and finals are on July 27. Women’s street prelims and finals will take place on July 28. Women’s park prelims and finals are on Aug. 6. Men’s park prelims and finals will be held on Aug. 7.

Reigning Champions

—Men’s Street: Yuto Horigome, Japan.

—Men’s Park: Keegan Palmer, Australia.

—Women’s Street: Momiji Nishiya, Japan.

—Women’s Park: Sakura Yosozumi, Japan.

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AP Paris Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

By The Associated Press