Andy Macdonald, Tony Hawk spark nostalgia with Olympic skateboard run

If you grew up on the X-Games, ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’ or maybe even picked up a board yourself, Andy Macdonald is a name that conjures up some nostalgia.

Well, be prepared to feel old: The very same and now 51-year-old skateboarder qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics and competed in the men’s park preliminaries Wednesday.

Fellow skateboarding legend, vert doubles partner and friend Tony Hawk was in attendance, and approved of Macdonald’s run. He clapped his hands and pumped his fist in approval at its conclusion.

In 2022, Macdonald announced his intention to skate for Great Britain’s national skateboarding team, as his father was born in England. He would go on to join the team as its elder statesman, leading to his Olympic run.

2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.

Macdonald finished out his run with a 77.66 for 18th place in the heat. He wouldn’t make the final, but he would make plenty of skateboarding fans smile.

➤ The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.