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Tony Hawk reflects on the growth of skateboarding from empty pools to the Olympic Games

Legendary skater Tony Hawk joined Yahoo Sports to talk about the journey skateboarding has gone on from the time he started skating to the point that we are watching the sport in the Olympics. Tony also gives his review of the Olympic bowl, and explains the internet meme about people never recognizing him.

Tony joined Yahoo Sports on behalf of Great Clips. The Great Clips app and Online Check-In allow users to find their nearest salon and add their name to the queue before they’ve even arrived, helping parents trim up their back-to-school checklist so they can save time and focus on enjoying the rest of the summer.

Video Transcript

LIZ LOZA: Thanks for joining Yahoo Sports. And I am joined by skateboarding legend Tony Hawk. Tony, thanks for joining us today.

TONY HAWK: Sure. Thanks for having me.

LIZ LOZA: Absolutely. So the public's perception of skateboarding has evolved so much since you started skating. I want to know what it's been like for you to watch the growth of the sport.

TONY HAWK: It's been fascinating and rewarding. When I started skating, it was just the furthest thing from cool you could do. And there were very few skaters. There were very few skate parks. And so you really had to seek out your crew and places to do it and hide your skateboard in high school.

I literally would-- would-- would purposely not carry my skateboard through school because I would get harassed for it. To see it now on the Olympic stage is another step in that evolution. And I think that it's going to broaden the recognition for skating, especially internationally. I just-- I'm just so thankful to be here witnessing it and still be able to participate.

LIZ LOZA: What role do you think that you played in this growth?

TONY HAWK: I mean, I hope that I've been a good advocate for skating and the health benefits and the-- the mental health benefits that it gives kids, especially who feel disenfranchised or feel like they don't belong in team sports. But I think that our video game definitely gave it a big boost. There's a whole generation of kids, and even pros now, that they started skating because they played THPS.

LIZ LOZA: Let's talk about this next generation. I want to talk about these teenagers, like Filipina Olympic skater Margielyn Didal, who yes, is 22. But still. They all want to take these photos of you but don't exactly know who you are. When did this whole trend start?

TONY HAWK: Oh, she's kidding. That was her joke.

LIZ LOZA: OK.

TONY HAWK: She's-- she's playing into the meme because I get a lot of interactions with people who-- they see my face, but they can't really place it, or they recognize my name, but they don't think it's really me. I mean, that happens to me a lot. And I've shared it on social media. So she's just playing into that.

She definitely-- we have already been in communication before the Olympics. So she knew who I was.

LIZ LOZA: Well, it is impossible to separate you from what you did at the '99 XGames, right. Like, you set the world on fire landing this first ever 900 in competition. But Gui Khury, who is 12, landed a 1080 this year with you competing alongside of him. What was it like to be there for that moment?

TONY HAWK: Oh. It was very cool to be right there. I mean, he literally did it in front of me. [LAUGHS] So I thought it was really cool to be-- I mean, I jumped into that contest at the very last minute. I just happened to be there watching.

And I had my skate gear that was down the street. So when I realized that I'd have a chance to skate that ramp, I drove back to where my ramp is, got my skate gear, came back, and started skating. Before I knew it, I was in the competition.

LIZ LOZA: That's so cool. I love-- I love how you take your gear everywhere. Like, you're in every skate park. It doesn't matter if it's fancy. People spot you all over the place.

But you've obviously been in Tokyo at the games. What's your take on the setup that they had for these athletes in its first Olympic journey?

TONY HAWK: It's great. It's state of the art. They had one of the best designers come in. And they provided for all kinds of styles of skating. So it's not favoring one type of skater or one specific skill set.

And I got to skate the park, luckily. And I can tell you that it's-- it's probably the best skate park competition course that we've seen in years.

LIZ LOZA: Wow. You hear people talk about the culture of skateboarding all the time and how it's so unique. Can you, who's been such a fixture within this community, talk to why it's so special?

TONY HAWK: Well, I think it's because it's born of street culture. And there are a lot of aspects that go with that in terms of fashion, music, art. And so it's the lifestyle. I mean, I tell people, I consider skateboarding a sport, an art form, and a lifestyle.

And the lifestyle is such that you don't fit into the status quo. That's what's carried me through, what's kept me interested all this time is that I love skateboarding and that it's unique.

LIZ LOZA: You're doing work with your daughter Katie and Great Clips right now. Can you tell us about that?

TONY HAWK: Sure. Yeah. We are doing a back-to-school campaign where you get the Great Clips app, and you can set up a hair appointment very easily. And in the midst of all the chaos of doing back-to-school activities and chores, that's one less thing to worry about. And I literally got this haircut right before I went to Tokyo at Great Clips.

So Yeah. I'm really proud of it. And my daughter was excited to be part of the campaign. And so we-- we got it done.

LIZ LOZA: That's awesome. Tony Hawk, skateboarding legend. Thank you so much for joining us here on Yahoo Sports.

TONY HAWK: Sure. Thanks for having me.