Skateboarding is making its Olympic debut in Tokyo, and professional skateboarder Jake Ilardi talks about his journey from Sarasota to the city.
Jake Ilardi, a Professional Skateboarder, is Paving his way into Sports lore.
Skater Ilardi, from from Sarasota, Florida, will be the first American to represent his country in the Olympic Games.
Ilardi says, “I’ve been doing this my whole life, and it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do, so it’s an honour to represent the United States of America and especially skateboarding.”
Ilardi’s Grandma bought him and his twin Brother Nate a Skateboard for their fourth Birthday.
The two would begin their sessions in the driveway, scooting their boards about on the ground. At some point, they got up on the boards and tried ollies and kickflips, and from there, things quickly escalated.
Ilardi claims that, as a kid, all he wanted to do was skate for fun and that he always imagined himself as a professional skater. He never even considered trying out for the Olympic team.
However, he was almost cut from the squad. At the Iowa competition, he wasn’t able to fully give it his all because of the injury. Even more impressively, he placed third in the Rome competition, where only the best three skateboarders advanced to the next round.
Despite all of that, Ilardi plans to visit Tokyo.
Skating is a relatively new event at the Olympics, and with its introduction came some controversy. Skateboarders are discussing the significance of the sport’s addition to the Olympics.
On the other hand, Ilardi claims he has no problem with skateboarding gaining greater mainstream popularity.
It’s inevitable that there would be “ups and downs,” as well as the introduction of new things and experiences, he says. “And people have both positive and negative views on it,” the author continues.
Skateboarding is unique in Comparison to other Popular Sports.
Skateboarding allows for a greater degree of individual expression than some of these other sports. According to Ilardi, for instance, the top three skateboarders in Rome could have vastly distinct skating techniques yet all placing in the top three.
For the Olympics, Ilardi will compete in the street skateboarding category. He’ll be competing against twenty of the best skateboarders in the world until just eight remain.
Each player will have two 45-second opportunities to complete the course, followed by five tries at a trick. The judges will take the average of the remaining three marks for each trick or run, excluding the highest and lowest.
The street racing course will include a variety of obstacles, including steps, railings, and handrails. On his 45-second run, Ilardi aims to link his tricks together so that he may finish strong, unlike many of his fellow skaters who tend to stop after completing a trick and then start over.
Skateboarders can examine photos of the route online, and Ilardi says he likes to map out his strategy in advance so he can hit the ground running once he gets there.
The skateboarders have been given five days to prepare, which is, according to Ilardi, more than enough time. When things don’t go according to plan, he just makes something up.
Though bone Fractures are not Uncommon for Skateboarders, Ilardi has Avoided them by Staying within his Comfort Zone.
Even so, he has seen a lot of hurt people. Many common injuries can be prevented, including cuts, bruises, sprains, and even nerve damage.
Ilardi believes that he and other prospective skateboarders will have more options once skateboarding becomes widely popular around the world in a matter of months.
Now that he’s a professional skateboarder and an Olympic competitor, he hopes his efforts to get a new skatepark built in his hometown will receive greater support. Moreover, partnerships and sponsorships may be formed.
According to Ilardi, “more skateboarders are going to be born from this” for the sport. Yes, that is what will occur. As sure as the sun rises, I know that.