Nyjah Huston 'really excited' at inclusion in 2021 USA skateboarding team for Olympics in Tokyo

The number one ranked male skateboarder in the world, Nyjah Huston, has officially been named as part of the USA skateboarding team targeting the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021.

The American team is packed full of talent in both genders across the two categories of street and park skating.

"I'm really excited. It's been a long time coming," Huston said in an exclusive Olympic Channel interview.

"It's been a long time coming for skateboarding to get into the Olympics in general. And then we had this extra year, we had to wait because of covid and stuff, which was unfortunate."

Jamie Foy, another member of the US street team**,** was named Thrasher Skater of the Year in 2017.

It was a crowning moment for Foy’s incredible career of street skating.

But he admits to day-dreaming of becoming an Olympic medallist.

“The thought has crossed my mind that it would be amazing... just to be thrown in the mix is super exciting.”

Growing female participation in skateboarding

Skateboarding’s inclusion in the Olympics has meant more opportunites for female skaters at contests and beyond.

Alexis Sablone has witnessed female skateboarding growing at first-hand.

“For me personally, I do think that before [the Olympic inclusion], the skateboarding industry was in this bubble... people in the industry had all male teams - that didn't seem strange to anyone," Sablone said at a press conference after her place was confirmed on the 2021 team.

“The Olympics - this big outside thing - shook things up in a way.”

Despite being named on the team, the skaters still need to qualify for the Olympics by picking up ranking points at qualification contests.

The USA Skateboarding National Championships will be held May 6-9.

The next major event after that is the Dew Tour from May 20-23.