Skateboarding icon Nyjah Huston targets Los Angeles 2028 Olympics
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Nyjah Huston in action during the men's street skateboarding final at the Paris Olympics at La Concorde 3 on July 29, 2024. He won a bronze.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LAGUNA BEACH – Nyjah Huston, widely regarded as the greatest street skateboarder of all time, has set his sights on Olympic gold when the sport returns to its roots at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
Huston, 30, represented the United States in the sport’s Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 and again at Paris 2024. He will be 33 when the Games return to Southern California but says his drive remains undiminished.
“I’m stoked for the LA Olympics. I’m definitely going to try my best to be there. I plan to be there,” Huston told Reuters in an interview at his home in Laguna Beach.
“It helps having the extra motivation that it’s in Southern California where I’ve lived for so long and where skateboarding really thrives. It’s SoCal living.”
Born in Northern California, Huston first stepped on a board at the age of five, won his first competition by 10, and now boasts a trophy room bursting with awards, including multiple gold medals from the World Skateboarding Championships and the X Games.
Inspired by Los Angeles skateboarding videos, Huston moved to Southern California at 15 and remains deeply connected to the region.
“There couldn’t be a better time for the Olympics to be in LA. It’s going to be sick,” he said.
Reflecting on his Olympic experiences, Huston acknowledged the unique pressures athletes face at the Games and admitted he was unprepared for the intensity in Tokyo.
“It was the first time ever that we’re skating for our country, which means a lot to me, and was something that was totally new to skateboarding,” he said.
After a disappointing result in Tokyo, Huston adjusted his approach for Paris, where he captured a bronze.
“I tried to go into Paris more with an open mind and said, ‘Let’s just see how it goes’,” he said.
Despite skateboarding’s growing presence in the Olympics, Huston maintains that the sport’s essence is rooted in its lifestyle and community.
“In my eyes, skateboarding is more of a lifestyle than it is a sport, more of a way of life,” he said.
“The most true and the most important side of skateboarding is going out and having fun with my buddies.
“And then big moments like the Olympics are just a plus on top of that.”
Huston will mark his 20th year competing at the X Games in 2026 and was recently announced as a Founder Athlete for the X Games League (XGL), a team-based circuit set to launch next summer.
“X Games League is about creating more opportunity for skateboarders and the action sports athletes,” he said.
Looking ahead, Huston remains focused on longevity.
“One of my goals in life, and in skateboarding, is to simply skate for as long as possible,” he said.
“I want to be out there grinding rails when I’m 60, 70 years old.” REUTERS
