From kids to graybeards, Olympic skateboarders run the gamut

Diversity is one of the cornerstones of the Olympic Games. For weeks we get to see people of all shapes, sizes, races and nationalities performing incredible feats. Age is another area that varies widely, as these athletes come from many different generations.

Quincy Wilson is set to make history as the youngest male to participate in an Olympic track and field event for the U.S. On the other end of the spectrum is Juan Antonio Jimenez, a Spanish equestrian who is a mere 49 years older than Wilson.

The disparity of ages is particularly evident with skateboarding. Unlike some sports in which participants need to be at least a certain age, skateboarding has no restriction. This has resulted in a fantastically young number of Olympians who — if school was on — would’ve needed a note from mom to be excused.

Six of the top 10 youngest athletes in Paris right now are skateboarders, including 16-year-old Sky Brown representing Great Britain and 13-year-old Heili Sirvio from Finland. But the youngest of the young is Zheng Haohao. She’s just 11, which makes her the youngest Olympian ever.

While skateboarding is mostly considered a sport for the kids, this hasn’t stopped some older folks from participating. Brown’s UK teammate is Andy Macdonald, who is 51 and just put on a show during his park event. Although he didn’t make it to the podium, Brown did, earning a bronze medal.

One of the most colorful ‘boarders is Dallas Oberholzer, a 49-year-old from South Africa. Facing a self-described mid-life crisis and looking for a way to reset, about a year before the Paris Games, he took a trip to the jungles of Peru. There he took ayahuasca, a drink with psychedelic properties, which caused him to “see” a variety of things, including dragons.

Having skateboarded for decades, Oberholzer knows that for guys like him and Macdonald, their competition days are numbered. 

“In the next few Olympics it’ll be nothing more than a bunch of 14-year-olds,” he said. “So we sure as hell better enjoy the last few editions of the old-timers.”