PARIS — The street skateboarding medalists all sat atop a stage late Monday, exhibiting an afterglow from the glorious evening that had just unfolded. All had competed in a venue that dropped jaws, in front of a crowd that roared and in a sport that’s rapidly changing and advancing.
The American Jagger Eaton, who won the silver medal, was cracking jokes and dropping truths. He joked about his teammate and bronze medalist, Nyjah Huston, saying that Huston sounded like “an old, creaking door,” as he sat down. He spoke honestly about the inherent danger of skateboarding and the fear competitors feel before attempting every trick. He explained how far his sport has come, from its Olympic debut three years ago to an ever-wider audience of fans who enjoy these types of Games far more than the X Games.
