Keegan Palmer on his continued push for Olympic skateboard gold: '100 per cent! I'll try to go all the way to Brisbane'

When Keegan Palmer won skateboard park gold at Tokyo 2020, he was 18 years old and was up against older established pros with the contest experience to match. As such, his win came as a surprise for some. But you can’t say the same about his follow-up gold medal at Paris 2024.

In the lead-up to the Games, Palmer established his dominance in the park, starting with the final Olympic Qualifier Series in Budapest. He came into the final as the first-place qualifier and then won the event outright. Palmer followed with a win in the X Games Ventura just weeks before the Opening Ceremony.

Olympics.com caught up with Palmer in Portland, Oregon, at his first skateboard contest since winning gold in Paris.

Keegan Palmer on defending his gold medal at Paris 2024

Palmer shared that his win at Paris 2024 wasn’t a given, but it was somewhat redemptive. “My Tokyo gold was really important for me at that stage in my career because I was able to put my name out there as one the best skaters in the world,” he said.

But Paris cemented his legacy: **“**The Paris gold means a lot because I was able to prove to everyone that the first one wasn't lucky.”

Winning a skateboard contest is never a sure thing, but Palmer was confident into his final runs. **"**I was definitely super nervous leading into the finals, which is just how it is when it comes down to contests. But I knew that I had a run that was good enough to win or do well. So I just needed to land it.” Which he did emphatically.

After successfully defending his gold medal, Palmer posted on Instagram that he was at a loss for words. When asked whether he had the words to express what his second Olympic gold means now, he said, “Honestly, probably not. The only word I can really say is that I can't believe that happened a few weeks ago.

"The first one was just so sick for us. The goal was just to qualify again and then getting a gold on top of that was just icing on the cake. It's hard to put that into words, what the feeling are for that.”

Palmer explained that Paris had added significance with the crowds, and his family, watching on.

"It was all great."

Keegan Palmer’s post-Paris Olympics recovery: from Ibiza to Australia

Palmer shared that after Paris he took off to Ibiza with his good friend, Formula 1 driver Lando Norris, to celebrate. He also met actor Jason Statham. “He was saying congrats. And his kids were all hyped on skating and stuff. So that’s pretty cool,” he said.

Beyond Statham, Palmer, who’s “super into video games,” also got some congratulations from some famous video gamers, which he was “pretty hyped on.”

Palmer followed Ibiza with a media tour in Sydney and Melbourne. “The reception back in Australia was amazing. I didn't get to go back to Australia last time because of Covid. But being able to go back and represent my country and see everyone with the people there, like the crowds there, it was amazing.”

Palmer has yet to make it back to his hometown on the Gold Coast where he and fellow Olympic gold medallist Arisa Trew call home, but is looking forward to that day.

Keegan Plamer is ready to skateboard for the fun of it, but he can’t help winning

Within weeks of winning gold in Paris, Palmer was back at it, ready to drop into the skateboard bowl in Portland alongside his friends, including Paris 2024 silver medallist Tom Schaar and Tate Carew.

“It's amazing,” said Palmer of skateboarding with his friends again. “We've been doing all these contests for ten plus years together before, like the Olympics. And it's just like another event together with all of my friends.”

But Palmer wasn’t just another skateboarder rolling up to the bowl for his first contest back from winning gold. This was his first time reconnecting with fellow skateboarders who one-by-one gave Palmer props throughout the practice sesssion.

“It was sick. A lot of the guys actually in this contest don’t get to do a lot of the contests that we do. And it was really cool to see everyone like, Tristan Rennie and Cory [Juneau]. So it was super sick to see everyone and just hang out. And the response from everyone was just like, super hyped for me and I really appreciate it.”

Despite his nonchalant approach to the weekend’s contest. Palmer did what Palmer does and found his way onto the podium in third place behind his Olympic compatriot Kieran Woolley and Japan’s Nagahara Yuro at the top.

“These last three days, I've just been over the moon. I wasn't expecting to get on the podium, but my skating paid off and I feel confident in myself.

“When it's all fired up like this, you kind of just black out and muscle memory takes over.”

The camaraderie that’s on display in Olympic skateboarding was also evident here as Palmer and Woolley hoisted Nagahara onto their shoulders in celebration.

Looking ahead to Olympic park skateboarding at LA28 and Brisbane 2032

While Palmer is looking forward to some post-Olympic travel and relaxation, he will have his game face back on for X Games Chiba, 20-22 September.

After that, the Southern California-based skateboarder said “November and December will be my chill time probably.” But Palmer has no plans to drop off, when asked whether he plans to go for gold at LA28, Palmer fires back: “100 per cent. I want to try to go all the way to Brisbane. That's my goal.”

Brisbane 2032 will be held in Palmer and fellow gold medallist Trew’s backyard. “I grew up an hour away from there," Palmer said. "So it's almost just like a full circle moment for me.”

With Brisbane eight years out, the 21-year-old added: “I at least want to qualify for it, you know? I mean, I’ve got to keep up with all these young kids.

“These kids are ripping.”