Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk may be commentating on — and not competing in — the Tokyo Olympics.
But the 53-year-old still “barged” the Ariake Urban Sports Park on Thursday to show off some of his signature moves.
Hawk, an NBC correspondent for the games that officially start Friday, hailed the sport’s Olympic debut on Instagram, sharing a video of his exploits:
“As a kid that was mostly lambasted for my interest in skateboarding, I never imagined it would be part of the Olympic Games,” the 12-time world champion, who officially retired from competition in 2003, captioned the clip, calling it “surreal to now be in Tokyo bearing witness to this milestone in the most unprecedented circumstances.”
“I know in the end it will help to grow skateboarding’s profile internationally, exposing our passion to an audience that has never seen it before or simply refused to embrace it,” Hawk continued. “A whole new generation will get to experience skateboarding with genuine public support and meaningful opportunity. I predict it will be one of the highlights from all of the Olympic Games coverage this year. And I’m here for it.”