Coast kid eyes 2020 Olympics
SKATEBOARDER Mikey Mendoza has taken his first steps towards the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a podium finish at the nationals as he sets his sights on competing in the most respected competition in the world.
The Gold Coast product finished third at the Australian Skateboarding League national final on March 11 in a successful start to the year.
Mendoza will now shift his attention to securing a spot in the Street League Skateboarding series that will hold a qualifier in Sydney in July before the main event in Florida in September. Becoming a frequent competitor at Street League is key to the 19-year-old’s quest to make the 2020 Olympics, featuring skateboarding for the first time.
“It is the pinnacle of skateboarding and the pathway to get to the Olympics,” Mendoza said.
“The more contests you do and the better finishes I get will help me improve my international ranking and strengthen my ability to represent Australia well when it comes to Olympics in three years.
“I’ve definitely changed my career from scratching in the sand to the world level in three years and if I’m now at that level then three years from now I have a strong belief I’ll be able to get to the Olympics.
“If you’re a good representative for your country and among the best then typically that’s how it would be selected.”
Fellow Australian Shane O’Neill is already a prominent member of the Street League circuit and is the leading skateboarder gunning for a place at the Tokyo Olympics.
Mendoza, currently ranked 364th in the world and backed by Red Bull and Oakley, fell in love with skateboarding at the age of six while growing up in Mudgeeraba and always dreamt of being able to compete in the sport at an Olympic Games.
“Skateboarding’s been my dream and I’m so fortunate that the timing has happened like this and it’s now an Olympic sport,” Mendoza said. “This has been my goal since day one.”
Mendoza was the school captain of Elanora State High School and took two years off after graduating in 2014 to compete in various world championship events.
His best result on the international scene to date was a 15th place finish at the European Championships in London in August last year.
Mendoza moved to Sydney last year.