Skateboarding has always been classified as a pastimefor rebels and outsiders. Likewise, competitive skateboarding events have generally not been considered part of the sporting community. But, at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo this summer, this extreme activity will finally be introduced at the biggest arenasin the world.
Skateboarding first appeared in California in the mid- 1950s. At that time, roller-skating was very popular, and someone had the idea to remove the wheels from a pair of skates and attach them to a board. In this way, a person could imitate the feeling of surfing on land and go for a ride even if there were no waves.
The first skateboards were quite dangerous, and there were so many injuries that skateboarding all but disappeared for nearly 20 years. In the 1970s, the invention of the polyurethane wheel gave rise to a revolution in the skateboarding world, and the activity began to gain popularity again. By the early 2000s, riding skateboards seemed to be as common as playing baseball among young Americans.
The inclusionof skateboarding as an official sport at the Tokyo Olympics marks a new erain the sporting world. There’s no doubt that the competition will be entertaining for everyone watching at home.
