Veteran Skateboarders Macdonald and Oberholzer Set the Gold Standard for Olympic Thrills in Paris

Andy Macdonald, at age 51, has made history as the oldest skateboarder to compete in the Olympics.

PARIS, France — Amid intense competition in the men’s park skateboarding at the Paris Olympics, 51-year-old Andy Macdonald stood out not just for his age, but for his infectious spirit.

“People ask if I’m aiming for the gold. I say, if there were medals for fun, I’d have it in the bag,” Macdonald humorously remarked on Wednesday. “I definitely won the gold medal for most fun.”

Macdonald, who turned professional in 1994 and is a nine-time world champion and X Games veteran, represented Britain in Paris. His participation marked a historic moment as he became the oldest skateboarder in Olympic history.

Joining him in the roster of older competitors was 49-year-old South African, Dallas Oberholzer. Their competition included the youngest entrant, 16-year-old Viktor Solmunde from Denmark.

Despite finishing 18th out of 22 with a score of 77.66, Macdonald’s enthusiasm never wavered. Oberholzer, with a score of 33.83, found solace in his personal best and the support of his mother, who watched him skate for the first time in 28 years.

“My mom finally accepted me as both an Olympian and a skateboarder,” Oberholzer shared. “That’s my greatest accomplishment.”

Oberholzer drew applause for his notable trick in the preliminaries, while Macdonald dazzled the crowd, including skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, with a backflip during his second run.

“I did it for the crowd. It’s about representing skateboarding as fun at any age,” Macdonald emphasized. “This is just the coolest, most inclusive thing anyone can do.”

While Macdonald enjoys support from sponsors, Oberholzer has undertaken significant financial sacrifices, even renting out his Cape Town flat to fund his Olympic journey. He dreams of visiting his girlfriend in Dubai post-Games but faces monetary constraints for a visa.

“I’ve invested everything, even financially, without much support,” Oberholzer admitted. “But achieving my personal best and sharing it with family made it all worth it.”

He hopes his Olympic appearance will boost interest and support for skateboarding in Africa. “I’d love for skateboarding to be more accessible in Africa, not just a luxury,” he said.

For others, like Puerto Rico’s Steven Pineiro who placed 14th, seeing older competitors was inspirational. “I better take care of myself to stay in the game,” he reflected.

Both Macdonald and Oberholzer, despite competing against younger athletes, refused to feel old. “Skateboarding has kept me young,” Macdonald said. “I’ve been skating since I was 12 and at 51, I still love every minute of it.”

Neither is ruling out an attempt to qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. “The journey this time was better than the destination,” Oberholzer concluded. “I love skateboarding and I won’t stop.”