SAN DIEGO — A San Diego skateboarder hopes to go for the gold this summer at the Paris Olympics.
In this Zevely Zone, I met Tate Carew at the Linda Vista Skateboard Park.
Most San Diego skateboarders grew up idolizing Tony Hawk, but now it's Tony Hawk's turn to pass the torch and possibly the Olympic torch to 19-year-old Tate Carew.
Ever since he was a boy, Tate went to bed dreaming about skateboarding. He showed me some daring tricks he took as a youngster. "Sure, it took me a solid two years to drop in on that ramp right there," said Tate.
San Diego born and raised, Tate shared one of his favorite skate park pictures.
"I am the tiniest one right here," said Tate, and right behind him?
"Is Tony Hawk yep," said Tate with a smile who showed up to our interview with a broken skateboard. Tate described how he broke the night before.
"We were all just trying tricks and it was at the end of the night and we were all kind of tired and this is kind of a good stress relief at the end of a session to break your board it's kind of a ritual," said Tate who estimates he's shattered 400 skateboards and a few bones too. "A good amount, that's all I'll say," said Tate.
In 2020, he barely missed out on qualifying for the Tokyo, Olympics.
"To see all my friends go it was a disappointment," said Tate who now prides himself for not giving up. "I think in any sort of sport or athletics that giving up is the worst thing you can do," said Tate. The teenager has travelled the world to Shanghai, Dubai, and Rome qualifying for the Paris Olympics. How's that going? "Currently number one in the world," said Tate.
Yet, most people still don't know who he is. I asked him, "Does that bother you that you are the number one skater in the world and you are not a household name?" Tate told me, "Not at all I think that I am 19 so I am pretty young."
That little boy who stood in front of Tony Hawk a year ago now rides for Hawk's Birdhouse Skateboards. How does it feel to be sponsored by Tony Hawk? "Pretty unreal," said Tate who then pulled out a new board thanks to Tony. A board that Tate hopes to be riding on his way to the Paris podium for what would be a life-changing moment. "Oh for sure, I think getting a medal for your country is the best thing ever," said Tate.
I then pointed to the broken board and said, "This can't happen in Paris." Tate laughed and said," No. None of this in Paris. I am getting it all out before Paris."
Tate's final Olympic qualifier is in Budapest on June 18th. For more information about his Olympic dreams you can follow him on Instagram by clicking here.