‘Once an Olympian, always an Olympian,’ is the saying that now applies to a select group of skateboarders following the Tokyo Olympic Games, and the list is rather short.
No more than three skaters per discipline could represent a single country. The result, an insane list of 20 athletes per event, everyone already earning top honors in their homeland before traveling to the Games. The world stage of the Olympics are truly unique, especially for a sport that has traditionally operated in an invite-dominant competition environment.
We at Nixon couldn’t be prouder of Zion Wright and his Olympic journey. From two-time Team USA select, to underdog win at Dew Tour to make his qualification official—the work speaks for itself, but we wanted to hear more.
We had a few questions for Zion and here is what we learned. Take a few minutes to read on below for a quick recap interview with the Olympian himself.
Nixon: Zion, congratulations on your Olympic journey! What a wild road to Tokyo and back. Before we dive into your time in Japan;
Can you run us through what it took for you to qualify? Any training routines or dietary changes?
Zion: What it took for me to qualify was locking in and getting my mind right. I focused on skating transition, and getting on a good workout and eating regimen. I integrated physical therapy and rehabilitation into my routine.
Looking back to Tokyo, what were a few highlights for you?
I love the people and culture in Tokyo - they’re incredibly friendly and welcoming.
How about the event itself, any feedback about the course or how the practices and competition ran? Business as usual?
Overall, I really liked the course. It had good flow and was fast. Practice was good; it was really important to stay hydrated with how intense the heat was. The order of the heats was the only aspect of the competition that was hard to adjust to since names were drawn out of a hat.
Since flying back from Japan, what have you been up to lately?
Now that the pressure of the Olympics is over, I feel a little bit more relaxed. Definitely still staying focused on my skating and getting back into my routine.
What’s next? Are you working on any video parts or interesting collabs? Any trips planned for work or play?
Definitely plan to work on some video parts in the future and I have some collabs planned. I won’t say too much, I’ll let you guys see the final product.
Two more quick questions; How has this Olympic experience changed you, or has it?
The Olympic experience was amazing and I feel so lucky to have been a part of it, but it hasn’t necessarily changed me. I’m still the same person.
