51-year-old Andy Macdonald rocks Olympic park contest: "It's just been the experience of a lifetime"
A primal roar exploded from the bottom of Andy Macdonald's lungs.
The Briton, going last in the men's skateboarding park prelims, had just completed his third and final Olympic run closing the chapter on his dream Parisian pursuit.
He flopped over his board, heading dropping over his arms. For a moment, he let it all sink in before re-emerging with a mega-watt smile.
On Wednesday 7 August, 2024, the 51-year-old became the oldest-ever skateboarder to compete in an Olympic Games. The veteran, well-known in the skateboarding circles as a 23-times X Games gold medallist in vert skating, had over 30 on the youngest skateboarder in the contest.
You could hardly tell his age, as the Briton ripped around the bowl with gusto, dropping a madonna and a body varial 540 among other tricks in two of his three clean runs.
Macdonald ultimately didn't make it to the final - finishing 18 out of 22. But he didn't care; victory here was never the object. It had always been about making it and Macdonad had made it.
"I could have fallen on every run and just be as happy as I am now. It doesn't matter," Macdonald said after, still beaming. "It's just been the experience of a lifetime. The first few days I was here. I was getting like, four hours of sleep because I was up in the Olympic Village. I bought an electric skateboard so I was just zooming around just like meeting everybody.
"It's a really beautiful thing to be a part of; just being here, being an Olympian. And then today was even more special. Like the icing on the cake that I got to be here and participate."
Macdonald easily had the afternoon's most vocal support after French skater Vincent Matheron, who came and went in an earlier heat.
The masses gathered around the park bowl to watch a slice of history being written even jeered the judges when his scores came through. It only broadened the veteran's smile.
But there was one person in particular the camera kept panning towards, another skateboarding legend: Tony Hawk.
Hawk, who told Olympics.com last week just how proud he was of seeing his great friend suit up for the Games, put that pride to work. With each trick, Macdonald slammed down the U.S. star applauded with his arms above his head in approval.
**"**Right over there, at the Grand Palais, Tony Hawk and I did a demo, and my son, who's 18, was just a toddler. He fell asleep during the demo," Macdonald said gesturing to the iconic building in the skyline of the park bowl he had just skated around.
*"*We're old friends. Old being the operative word," the Briton continued.
"We've known each other for a long time. We skated against each other for years. In the X Games, we skated together as teammates, as doubles partners. We went on tour for years together. And we're neighbours at home in San Diego, so it's just neat to be out here with friends and family and just enjoying this wild ride.
Macdonald continued: "For Tony and mine's generation, skateboarding was the antithesis of Olympic sport. And we became skateboarders because we didn't want organised sport. We didn't want to play football or soccer. We're the outcasts. We're over here skateboarding, you know? Like football players hate us. And now we're just being embraced, as you can see by this community, this global sports community. And it's just amazing."
With his achievement today now known in all corners of the world, Macdonald shared one final inspiring message to those watching.
"This piece of useless wooden toy right here is how I've made my living," he said smiling down at the skateboard between his feet.
"It's how I met my wife. It's given me everything in the world that I have. And I still enjoy riding it every single day, every time I get on a board, even when I have a bad day., a bad day on a skateboard is much better than a good day off one."
The Briton concluded: "If I can inspire one more kid to pick up a board or one more adult to not put one down, I feel like that's why I'm here".