Skateboard legend Tony Hawk cleared the air regarding speculation of a comeback for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after his retirement from competing professionally in 2003.
Hawk, a.k.a. Birdman, told People magazine he had no plans to unretire.
When the 56-year-old pioneer of modern vertical skateboarding was asked about his thoughts on dusting off his skateboard to compete in the 2028 L.A. Olympics, he replied with a laugh:
"I don't think you want to see me competing when I'm 60."
"That's probably not going to bode well."
He added:
"But I'll definitely be there as a fan."
Skateboarders will be facing off this year following provisional approval by the International Olympic Committee for the inclusion of skateboarding at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris
When the skateboarding competition made its debut at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Hawk also stated he wasn't entering the competition.
Hawk told the magazine that inclusion of the sport was "great for the international growth and equality of skateboarding."
He continued:
"People think that somehow the Olympics, I don't know, sanitizes what we do. But the competitions are run exactly like they have been for the last 30, 40 years."
He added:
“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.”
Hawk, who performed the first ever documented 900 on his 12th attempt at the X Games V in San Francisco, California, when he was 25, noted:
"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."
Ever fearful of his permanent retirement, the skating community was alarmed in 2022 when Hawk was spotted walking with crutches after a femur injury.
Hawk explained on X (formerly Twitter) at the time:
"To those seeing pics of me using a cane and assuming it is a permanent situation: I had my femur surgically realigned 2 weeks ago in order to get back to what I love doing at a high level."
"And I’m taking it slow this time around. See you on the other side."
He later wrote on Instagram and shared an X-ray image showing the severity of his injury:
“I’ve said many times that I won’t stop skating until I am physically unable."
“A broken leg—with plenty of hardware—will probably be the biggest test of that creed."
"I’ll be back … maybe not at full capacity but I resigned to that notion years ago as I approached ‘mid-life.’”
Hawk remained enthusiastic about the skating competition in the Paris Summer Games, which will have its first live spectators after Tokyo barred public viewing of the 2020 Olympics in response to a state of emergency declaration in the greater Tokyo area due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It's the first time skateboarding will have a live audience at the Olympics," said Hawk of the Paris Summer Games, noting:
"The talent has only risen, especially in the women's field."
At the 2020 Summer Olympics, Team USA took home two bronze medals for the sport.
The hosting team of Japan ranked first with three gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal, while Australia earned one gold medal, Brazil earned three silver medals, and the UK earned one bronze medal.
Although we won't be seeing him competing in Paris, Hawk has not stopped skateboarding for leisure sport.
As a matter of fact, he's continued doing so, four times a week.
He told NBC Insider:
"I still love skating just as much as I ever have. And I mean, my motivations have not changed."
"I just want to keep skating and try new techniques and stuff."
Here's a sample of his various skateboard antics posted on Instagram, starting with this fun video ad of his partnership with Starbucks.
Fans remained in awe of his agility despite his age.
@tonyhawk/Instagram
@tonyhawk/Instagram
@tonyhawk/Instagram
@tonyhawk/Instagram
@tonyhawk/Instagram
He also beamed with pride reflecting on how far the sport has come.
"It's just been so fun to see skateboarding come of age; to see it grow; to see the inclusion factor; to see that ... parents encourage their kids to skate now [that] it's an Olympic sport. It's such a perfect time for skateboarding," he said.
He also encouraged young athletes to do their best but also to "take a step back and enjoy the ride."
Said Hawk:
"I was so focused on my competing and my performances, that through my years of being their age, I kind of got lost in that and and didn't really embrace the friendships that I had made along the way."