Tony Hawk breaks silence after calls for him to skate at Paris Olympics aged 56
Tony Hawk has been urged to come out of retirement and skate at the Olympics.
Tony Hawk has played down the idea of dusting off his skateboard to compete at the Olympics at the age of 56. Hawk largely retired from professional competitions in 2003 but has been urged to go for Olympic gold in Paris, with skateboarding set to be included yet again.
The sport made its debut in Tokyo and went down as a huge success with hardcore fans and casual viewers alike. Japan made use of their home advantage to win three of the four disciplines in park and street, prompting calls for Hawk to come out of retirement and skate for the USA.
Quizzed on whether he would consider taking part in either of the next two Olympics, with the 2028 edition set to be held in Los Angeles, Hawk reaffirmed that his skating days are firmly behind him.
"I don’t think you want to see me competing when I’m 60," he told People magazine. "That’s probably not going to bode well. But I’ll definitely be there as a fan."
Skateboarding will return to the Olympic schedule in Paris with an increased number of competitors, with 22 athletes per event for the men’s and women’s street and park. Hawk is delighted that skateboarding has finally been added to the Games, applauding the move as one that is 'great for the international growth and equality' of the sport.
"People think that somehow the Olympics, I don’t know, sanitizes what we do," he said. "But the competitions are run exactly like they have been for the last 30, 40 years.
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"So it’s not like they’re reinventing the wheel or that they’re creating competition in our sport, it’s just that now it’s more accessible and has a wider audience. I'm hugely proud. I'm proud that it's there, and I love that a kid who chooses to skate now knows that there is support for them."
Hawk is easily the most famous skater in the history of the sport and landed the first documented '900' trick in 1999. He is also known for the iconic video game series carrying his name, which has sold an estimated 1.4 billion copies according to Forbes.
The California native has also been involved in various philanthropic ventures throughout his career. He founded The Skatepark Project in 2022, which helps to build skateparks in underprivileged areas around the world.