Macdonald simply had the afternoon’s most vocal help after French skater Vincent Matheron, who got here and went in an earlier warmth.
The plenty gathered across the park bowl to observe a slice of historical past being written even jeered the judges when his scores got here by way of. It solely broadened the veteran’s smile.
However there was one particular person particularly the digicam stored panning in direction of, one other skateboarding legend: Tony Hawk.
Hawk, who informed Olympics.com final week simply how proud he was of seeing his nice pal go well with up for the Video games, put that satisfaction to work. With every trick, Macdonald slammed down the U.S. star applauded together with his arms above his head in approval
**”**Proper over there, on the Grand Palais, Tony Hawk and I did a demo, and my son, who’s 18, was only a toddler. He fell asleep in the course of the demo,” Macdonald mentioned gesturing to the enduring constructing within the skyline of the park bowl he had simply skated round.
*”*We’re outdated associates. Outdated being the operative phrase,” the Briton continued.
“We have identified one another for a very long time. We skated towards one another for years. Within the X Video games, we skated collectively as teammates, as doubles companions. We went on tour for years collectively. And we’re neighbours at house in San Diego, so it is simply neat to be out right here with family and friends and simply having fun with this wild experience.
Macdonald continued: “For Tony and mine’s era, skateboarding was the antithesis of Olympic sport. And we grew to become skate boarders as a result of we did not need organised sport. We did not wish to play soccer or soccer. We are the outcasts. We’re over right here skateboarding, you understand? Like soccer gamers hate us. And now we’re simply being embraced, as you’ll be able to see by this neighborhood, this international sports activities neighborhood. And it is simply wonderful.”
Together with his achievement in the present day now identified in all corners of the world, Macdonald shared one closing inspiring message to these watching.
“This piece of ineffective picket toy proper right here is how I’ve made my residing,” he mentioned smiling down on the skateboard between his toes.
“It is how I met my spouse. It is given me all the things on this planet that I’ve. And I nonetheless get pleasure from driving it each single day, each time I get on a board, even when I’ve a nasty day., a nasty day on a skateboard is a lot better than a very good time without work one.”
The Briton concluded: “If I can encourage yet one more child to select up a board or yet one more grownup to not put one down, I really feel like that is why I am right here”.