Young Photos of Tony Hawk
In the '90s, Tony Hawk dominated skateboarding, leaving behind a record-setting legacy that redefined the sport, now he's leading its charge into the mainstream.
Tony Hawk changed the skateboarding game. After entering the skateboarding scene as a young teenager, by the age of 16, he was already named one of the best skateboarders in the world. Since then, Hawk’s rise to fame and domination of the professional skating world has turned him into a household name and the sport into a recognized field that made its debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. However, after a successful 17-year career filled with record-breaking moves, Hawk turned his sights on his personal businesses. Since his retirement, Hawk has founded The Skateboard Project which builds skateboard parks in underprivileged areas, as well as his own apparel and equipment companies Hawk Apparel Company and Birdhouse Skateboards.
Looking forward to the 2024 Paris Olympics, skateboarding will once again be given an enormous platform to demonstrate its potency as a "mainstream" sport. In an interview with Laureus, Hawk said "I think skating has finally come of age." This will no doubt be tested as international skills are displayed throughout the games. The 56-year-old skater and philanthropist will be closely involved with this years Olympics, interviewing competitors in the role of IOC (International Olympics Committee) ambassador, bridging the gap between old and new generations of skaters.
As the games are now upon us, we look back on photos from Hawk's prime as a skater, delving into his history as a pioneering figure in the skateboarding scene and reminiscing on what can only be called the infancy of skating (seeing as it has come of age now).
