UPDATE (3:45 a.m. ET on Saturday, July 27) -- Men's skateboard street, originally scheduled for Saturday, July 27, has been postponed due to slick course conditions and rain. The event will now be held on Monday, July 29. The women's skateboard street events remain scheduled for their original times on Sunday, July 28, with prelims at 6 a.m. ET and the final at 11 a.m. ET.
A quick glance at the world rankings in men's skateboard street reveals two main powerhouses leading the discipline: the United States and Japan. Continue reading to learn more about the six men representing these countries at the 2024 Olympics — it's quite possible that some combination of these athletes will make up the podium in Paris.
Japan's trio emerges from tough battle to make Olympic team
Japan’s talent in men's skateboard street runs so deep that half of the world’s top-10 skaters are from the country. The Japanese swept the podium at the 2023 World Street Championship in Tokyo and have had at least one athlete on the podium at the last seven World Skate street events.
Since each country can qualify a maximum of three athletes in each event, there was stiff competition to make Japan’s Olympic men’s street team. It came down to the final Olympic qualifying event in June, and Ginwoo Onodera, Sora Shirai and Yuto Horigome ultimately prevailed.
Ginwoo Onodera
The 14-year-old Japanese street skateboarder has had an explosive past few years. Onodera placed third at his first pro-level international contest, the 2022 World Street Championships, and won the street competition in his debut appearance at X Games Japan 2023. Out of his seven pro-level competition starts, he has finished in the top 10 five times, including three podium finishes. His competition trajectory suggests that we may see Onodera solidify his status as a podium mainstay in Paris.
Sora Shirai
Shirai is one of Japan’s most consistent street skateboarders, finishing the Olympic qualification cycle ranked No. 2. He won the 2023 World Street Championship and has finished top 10 in nearly all of the 20 World Skate competitions in which he’s competed. Shirai is laser focused on winning a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. After missing the final at the Tokyo Games three years ago, he told Olympics.com that “Paris is the only way to make up for it."
Yuto Horigome
Fresh off winning the Olympic Qualifier Series event in Budapest last month, Horigome will be attempting to defend his Olympic gold medal. He’s pushing the progression of skateboard street by seeking out new tricks that don’t yet have names because few other athletes can replicate them. At the Tokyo Games, Horigome and Nyjah Huston were the leading gold-medal contenders, but Horigome won and Huston finished off the podium. We may see the pair face off again in Paris.
Team USA still loaded with elite talent
Japan may bring heat to the competition, but the American men’s skateboard street team can't be overlooked. Jagger Eaton, Huston and Chris Joslin trail close behind in the world rankings.
Jagger Eaton
Since earning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Games — despite a broken ankle — the Mesa, Arizona, native has made his mark by being the only skater to excel in both street and park contests. At the recent Olympic Qualifier Series event in Shanghai, he impressed by winning the street competition and placing third in the park contest. Eaton narrowly missed qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics in park, but he remains a street podium contender.
Nyjah Huston
Huston, one of the most-decorated street skateboarders, is looking for redemption after a disappointing seventh-place finish three years ago in Tokyo. Although he entered that contest as a medal favorite, a torn ligament in his wrist sustained leading up to the competition hindered his performance. Shortly after winning the 2022 Street World Championship, Huston tore his right-knee ACL and underwent surgery in August 2022. After a seven-month break, he returned to the competition scene at the Tampa Pro in March 2023. Huston has progressively risen up the rankings since then, placing fourth at last year's X Games and then winning both the street and street best-trick contests at the latest edition of the event last month.
Chris Joslin
Joslin is making his Olympic debut after placing third at the Olympic Qualifier Series event in Shanghai. Currently ranked eighth in the world, he's most known for his videos showcasing major tricks such as the ghetto bird, or nollie hardflip late backside 180, he landed at the iconic Hollywood High 16-step staircase.
When to watch the men's skateboard street competition
With a stacked roster of riders from both countries, the men's skateboard street contest promises to be one of the must-see events of the Paris Olympics' first full day of competition on Saturday, July 27.
The preliminary round will start at 6 a.m. ET (NBCOlympics.com, Peacock), and the final will follow at 11 a.m. ET (NBCOlympics.com, Peacock).