By: Jerry Zhang
Andy Macdonald, a 50-year-old skateboarder, will represent Britain in the skateboarding event at the Paris Olympics on July 26, 2024, along with teenagers Sky Brown and Lola Tambling. Traditionally, skateboarding is considered a young person’s sport, and that’s evident when Mr. Macdonald is compared to the other participants. During the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where skateboarding made its debut, the gold medalists, in each division, were 22, 19, 18, and 13 years old.
As the oldest participant in this Paris Olympics Skateboarding, many believe he will be at a significant disadvantage. However, Andy Macdonald has a prominent history in the sport. He holds the record for the most X Games (an action sports event) medals in vert skateboarding (riding a skateboard up a ramp) and has often competed with skateboarding legends such as Tony Hawk and Shaun White.
When interviewed by The New York Times and asked if he thought he could make the Paris Olympics, he responded by stating that he was shocked after his coaches told him that he qualified, not believing it until it was officially announced. Mr. Macdonald knew that he would make the British team but thought that qualifying for the Olympics would have been unlikely. Yet, on his last attempt, he scored 11 points higher than he had ever scored during the Olympic tryouts tour and barely qualified for the Olympic games.
Furthermore, when prompted with the question, “How is skating different at your age?” Mr. Macdonald responded by saying that everything becomes riskier as you age. Injuries hurt worse and healing takes longer; therefore, fancier tricks that take more commitment suddenly become more dangerous.
Andy Macdonald’s participation in the Paris Olympics serves as an inspiring testament to how skateboarding’s youthful spirit continues to resonate with older individuals. Despite the age gap between him and his fellow competitors, he is still able to connect with them through skateboarding, reminding us that age is not a barrier to success.
Image Credit by Wendelin Jacober