Gustavo Ribeiro ready to challenge for the top: “I can’t help but be confident in myself”
After finishing on the podium at World Street Skateboarding in Rome the Portuguese is becoming increasingly hard to ignore and with Street League Skateboarding Jacksonville approaching Ribeiro is raring to make his mark.
Skateboarding
Wrapped in the Portuguese flag with a trophy from World Street Skateboarding in his hand, Gustavo Ribeiro couldn’t hide his joy.
The 21-year-old from Almada had just finished in third at the first Olympic qualifying event for Paris 2024 behind United States' Nyjah Huston and Frenchman Aurelien Giraud. And he was stoked:
“I’m very happy,” Riberio said to Olympics.com after receiving his prize. “Unfortunately, the result was not what I expected but I can't help but be very happy about the podium.”
"I felt very confident every day. Yesterday I managed to get the best score in runs and best tricks. I went first to the finals.
"I can't help but be confident in myself and keep going.”
Given the 2022 Street League Skateboarding Championship Tour launches this weekend in Jacksonville, Florida, Ribeiro’s radiating positivity should not be taken lightly.
While it was Huston who walked away the king in Rome it was the Portuguese skateboarder’s consistency on the skatepark that snatched attention.
After finishing fifth in the quarterfinals, Ribeiro surged in the semis to be the only man to go 90-plus on the night in both the run (90.05) and trick (92.30) segments.
His capacity to deliver under pressure afforded him the top qualifying spot heading into the finals where he was then able to stay in touch with Giraud and Huston to finish top three.
Speaking about his ever-growing competitive form and his impressive technical skating, the man who cut his teeth on the streets of Lisbon confirmed that more of the same was part of the plan. But with different results:
"My expectation is to continue riding and having fun and in the next competition not to be the third, but first.”
With a podium-finish in Rome to add to a cabinet that also includes a Tampa AM win (2017), two SLS Super Crown bronze medals and an Olympic appearance might Ribeiro now legitimately be moving from one-to-watch to one-to-stop?
Everything will be to skate for in Jacksonville.
SLS Jacksonville 2022: Huston, Horigome, Leal headline stacked field
The first stop of the 2022 SLS Championship Tour will begin this weekend in Jacksonville, Florida from 16-17 July.
Joining Ribeiro at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena will be some of the best street skaters from the men and women’s competition field who have all also been invited to get their SLS campaigns underway.
The man from Portugal looking to transition to the top will be all too familiar with those heading the cast in the men’s contest.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist Horigome Yuto, who struggled from traction in Rome, will present a veritable threat in Florida, while Ribeiro's recent podium rivals Huston and Giraud will also be in the mix.
On the women’s side superstar Brazilian street skater Rayssa Leal fronts a pack of top skateboarders including Olympic champion Nishiya Momiji and bronze medallist Nakayama Funa of Japan.
After wrapping up in Florida, the SLS tour will then move to the Angel of Winds arena in Seattle, Washington a month later (13-14 August). The third leg will then take place in (8-9 October) Las Vegas, Nevada before then moving the Brazilian capital of Rio de Janeiro for the season finale – the Super Crown World Championships.
All four stops will provide Ribeiro ample opportunity to cement his rise all that's left now is for him to deliver.
MORE: How Japanese women ruled World Street Skateboard in Rome