American Nyjah Huston, a favorite in the men’s street skating event, redeemed himself in the Paris Olympics after leaving the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games without a medal.
This time, Huston, a six-time world champion and 15-time X Games gold medalist, took home the bronze in street skating.
Huston was born in Davis, California, to his mother Kelle and his father Adeyemi, who is also a skating fanatic. Learning to ride a skateboard in his family was mandatory.
Skating is a way of life for Huston, but it didn’t come easy.
By the age of 10, he was already winning pro competitions. However, after an abrupt move to Puerto Rico, Huston disappeared from the skating scene. Divorce split the family, and Huston remained with his father, who pushed him hard to train.
“I think the fact that I was able to get through all those rough moments as a kid and still come out with that much love for it is the perfect example of, like, how fun skateboarding is. It’s really just an addiction. There’s just, there’s nothin’ else like it.”
Kelle Huston eventually won custody of her son. Back in California his career exploded.
But the family struggled financially until Huston won the first ever street league competition when he was 15 years old. The grand prize: $150,000.
“That was like, just so much relief and weight being lifted off my shoulders,” he said. “I was finally able to, you know, become my own person.”
Now one of the most decorated skateboarders in history, Huston said his failures are the key to his success.
“When we put out these video parts that people watch on YouTube or whatever, or they see us skate these contests and land most of our tricks first try, they don’t realize that skateboarding is really 90% falling. I hope you guys show some of the falls in this, because I have taken quite a beating throughout my lifetime.”
Paris presented a new opportunity for the 29-year-old, who is of mixed race. His father is Japanese and Black and his mother is White.
His teammate, Jagger Eaton, nabbed the silver medal. After a fierce battle in Monday’s final, Eaton and Huston finished behind Japan’s defending champion Yuto Horigome.