Village takes in boarders
Skateboarding superstars Leticia Bufoni and Nyjah Huston lit up the Olympic Village in Buenos Aires on Friday as they got priceless insight into Olympic life ahead of the sport’s debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Skateboarding
“We have got a little taste, seen the athletes, got the vibe of the Village,” said Bufoni, Brazil’s three-time X Games street skateboarding gold medallist.
Close friend Huston, the current world No.1 street skateboarder, revelled in the tour of the dining facilities, accommodation and leisure areas before revealing that his peers on the world tour are talking about nothing else.
“The word is out,” said Huston, USA’s eight-time X Games gold medal winner. “Everyone is on it. Being here only makes me look forward to it (Tokyo 2020) more. I am stoked to have a chance to be at the first one.”
The presence of the pair, pictured above with an Olympic Channel interviewer, caused quite a stir in the Village, with several Youth Olympians more than a little overwhelmed.
“I don’t believe what just happened,” said boxer Tethluach Chuol (CAN) after chatting to Huston. “I’ll be honest with you, I used to skate when I was younger. It’s crazy. Me and my boys back home love him.”
Huston is used to being a trailblazer. The 23-year-old, who grew up as a Rastafarian and a strict vegan, is still the only skater ever to have pulled off a backside 270 noseblunt-slide at a Street League event. For him, it is the seemingly endless potential of skateboarding that makes it so appealing.
“It’s non-stop possibilities,” he said. “There are non-stop tricks to learn and always new ways to challenge yourself. You can always skate something different, in a different way, different style.”
Bufoni embodies this spirit. The 25-year-old has been a driving force in transforming the perception of the sport across the globe both through her talent and fearless style, as well as by unashamedly embracing the glamour she naturally brings.
“She is super cool, she is an amazing skater,” Huston said of the first female Street League super crown winner. “There are always things I can learn from her.”
While bashful about her contribution to the sport, Bufoni does admit to feeling a rush when she considers how far skateboarding has come, even in the four years since she was part of its showcase at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games Sport Lab.
“I am really proud,” she said. “We are getting more and more support now. We are getting more and more women in the sport. It’s a great time for skateboarding and it’s going to be even better after the Olympics.”