THUNDER BAY — Adam Hopkins' dream of winning an Olympic Games medal in skateboarding will remain unfulfilled for at least three more years.
The sport makes its Olympic debut in Tokyo this summer.
The 30-year-old Thunder Bay-raised man was named to the Canadian national team in March, but failed to make the cut for the Olympics.
"After season 1, I was in a good placing heading towards the games but the COVID cancellation of our Canadian nationals really affected my points internationally," Hopkins told TBNewswatch.
He explained that "what was supposed to be six events for season 2 turned into a two-event season, plus the cancellation of world championships."
Hopkins said he looks forward to competing again leading up to the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
Last year, he was the number one-ranked male park skateboarder in Canada.
Making the cut for either park skateboarding or street skateboarding requires athletes to gain points at qualifying events.
There's one more event – the world championships this week in Italy – for street skateboarders to gain points, but park competitions have ended.
Adam Higgins, the head coach of the national team, said "we were disappointed" that Hopkins was unable to qualify.
Higgins said one other Canadian park skateboarding competitor has obtained enough points to qualify for the Olympics, but the Canadian Olympic Committee must still officially approve the makeup of the team.
