Children as young as six can be seen zipping up ramps and grinding down rails at skate parks all over Japan, with instructors teaching tricks while parents wait patiently nearby.
It is a far cry from skateboarding's original street culture image, but it is producing spectacular results, with Japan winning three of the four available golds on the sport's Olympic debut in Tokyo three years ago.
National team coach Daisuke Hayakawa (right) told AFP that the number of skaters in Japan had tripled since and believes his team can clean up at the Paris Games.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der July 03, 2024-Ausgabe von The Citizen.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der July 03, 2024-Ausgabe von The Citizen.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
JOSE IS 'SPECIAL'
The Spaniard is on the cusp of making Bucs the first side to win the MTNS8 three consecutive times.
'Rusty' Foden is on the way back
Phil Foden said he is still \"rusty\" but scored his first goal of the season as Manchester City thrashed Slovan Bra tislava 4-0 to record their first Champions League win of the campaign.
Bok takeaways benefit Morne
Talented scrumhalf Morne van den Berg is hopeful of implementing lessons learned.
Challenge to big 5 law firms
Minister gazettes legal code which sector indicated they would litigate against.
Woolies boss gets R100m
Bagattini's total remuneration drops to R65.3m in FY2024.
Shrinking lake on Albanian-Greek border struggles to survive
Plants and reeds have sprouted up as the waters of Little Prespa Lake on the Albanian-Greek border recede, their beauty overshadowing a painful truth: the lake is slowly dying.
'Only link to outside world'
It has become one of few reliable sources of information left.’
Iran will 'pay' for missiles
Tehran warns of even bigger attack.
Africa's road safety crisis
The dilapidated state of vehicles isa major factor.
Acsa denies lack of medical safety measures
Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) has denied having inadequate medical safety measures after a death at King Shaka International Airport on 14 September.