I had the opportunity to be a commentator on the first-ever skateboarding Olympic Championship. I did so on Televisión Española, the Spanish public television channel.
National television has a huge audience, most of which would have never expected to see skateboarding on such a relevant stage. It is an audience that is radically different than the one of an average skateboarding medium.
That’s why the first-ever skateboarding Olympics were a turning point in skateboarding history.
Millions of people saw skateboarding on TV for the first time, and some of them might have thought:
“If the media covers it, it might be worthwhile… Maybe building top-notch skateparks is actually a good investment… Maybe skateboarding can be a healthy and constructive activity, an engine for change and integration… Maybe we were wrong about all those stereotypes…”
I take a lot of pride in having provided a voice for skateboarding in such an important moment.