Californian skater eyes gold at his local Olympics

LAGUNA BEACH, California — Nyjah Huston, widely regarded as the greatest street skateboarder of all time, has set his sights on Olympic gold when the sport returns to its roots at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

Huston, 30, represented the United States in the sport's Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, and again at Paris 2024. He will be 33 when the Games return to Southern California, but says his drive remains undiminished.

"I'm stoked for the LA Olympics. I'm definitely going to try my best to be there," Huston told reporters. "It helps, having the extra motivation that it's in Southern California, where I've lived for so long and where skateboarding really thrives."

Born in Northern California, Huston first stepped on a board at the age of three, won his first competition by 10, and now boasts a trophy room bursting with awards, including multiple gold medals from the SLS World Championships and the X Games.

Inspired by LA skateboarding videos, Huston moved to Southern California at 15 and remains deeply connected to the region.

"There couldn't be a better time for the Olympics to be in LA. It's going to be sick," he said.

Reflecting on his Olympic experiences, Huston acknowledged the unique pressures athletes face at the Games, and admitted he was unprepared for the intensity in Tokyo.

"It was the first time ever that we were skating for our country, which means a lot to me, and was something that was totally new to skateboarding," he said.

After a disappointing result in Tokyo, Huston adjusted his approach for Paris, where he captured a bronze medal.

"I tried to go into Paris with more of an open mind, and said: 'Let's just see how it goes'," he explained.

"I did mess up on my first run, but then that made me try harder tricks in my second run. I really went for it, and put it all on the line. It ended up working out."

'A way of life'

Despite skateboarding's growing presence in the Olympics, Huston maintains that the sport's essence is rooted in its lifestyle and community.

"In my eyes, skateboarding is more of a lifestyle than it is a sport; it's more of a way of life," said Huston.

"The most true and the most important side of skateboarding is going out and having fun with my buddies, skating at different spots around the city, challenging myself, learning new tricks and filming videos," he said. "And, then, big moments like the Olympics are just a plus on top of that."

Huston, who has his own skateboard brand, Disorder Skateboards, has also observed the sport's global expansion. "I have noticed it a lot since the Olympics in places like Japan and China," he said.

"There weren't that many skate fans out there. But now, we've had some contests there the past few years and it is growing more and more."

Huston will mark his 20th year competing at the X Games next year, and was recently announced as a Founder Athlete for the X Games League (XGL), a team-based circuit set to launch next summer.

"X Games League is about creating more opportunity for skateboarders and action sports athletes," he said.

Looking ahead, Huston remains focused on longevity. "One of my goals in life, and in skateboarding, is to simply skate for as long as possible," he said.

"I want to be out there grinding rails when I'm 60, 70 years old."

Reuters