“900 Was the Closer That Didn’t Happen..:” Skateboarding Legend Tony Hawk Divulges Gut-Wrenching Journey of His Signature Move

Nine hundred degrees of spin, one skateboarding GOAT Tony Hawk. He dominated the early 80s and 90s, becoming the pioneer of modern vertical skating. Practicing on a hand-down skateboard from his brother, he never let go of his passion. His determination continues to inspire many generations, but there was no one quite like him. He attained the pinnacle in the late 90s when his glorious feat turned him into a living legend overnight.

Hawk’s story to achieve the same sits perfectly with the phrase ‘light at the end of the tunnel.’ Despite multiple failures, he stayed committed to his goal while each moment marked a missed opportunity. The strain he experienced during that moment is shown in the newest video of his journey.

Skateboarding legend and the account of his stress back in the days

A recent YouTube video posted by STORIED shows the 55-year-old stake-boarder dissecting his experiences from the 1990s. Despite having decades of experience, he had to add a few more years of practice before he finished the monumental moment in a live show. He had almost quit; he says. Further adding, “900 was supposed to be the closer that didn’t happen which I was okay.” He continued following his passion and finally achieved the 900 in 1999 at the X Games.

Initially, he didn’t like street competitions, but when the stage was all his, he defied gravity. Earlier, when resources were few, he sustained injuries every time he attempted the 900 and even spoke about it. He said, “We didn’t have any foam pits. I had hard concrete.” Hawk had faith at the back of his mind despite his ten failed attempts during the X Games live telecast.

READ MORE “This Is Why His Name Is Carved in Everyone’s Memory”: Despite Teenager Breaking the 21-Year-Old Record, Skateboarding World Makes Its Way to the Tony Hawk Original

In 1982, he turned into a professional taking up the sport as a full-time career. Apart from his revolutionary spin, in his journey as a pro from 1984 to 1996, he won 73 titles. In 2011, the top vert skater posted a video flexing his 900. Since then, the vert immensity became widely popular and allowed the sport to gain global recognition.

Skateboarding feat contributes to the community’s global recognition

Hawk was fortunate that it was captured on tape, which earned him due credit. If it had taken place in private, the battle behind it would’ve remained unknown to the public. Given the peculiarity of the competition, Hawk was truly anxious about losing the chance to someone else. He could’ve lost it anytime, be it fixing his positioning or even landing structure. The finest vert skaters were also aiming for the same goal for a decade, so it was kind of a mythical bar that everyone was vying to surpass.

Tony Hawk’s profound influence on the skateboarding realm helped many fellow skateboarders pull their limit just at the edge like him. Speaking for the community in Hawk’s untold stories, someone said, “The unfaintable joy this was the crisp resolution of what we have as a community that is unattainable for any other sport.” It is genuinely astonishing how diverse the sport is and how well-knit the skaters are. Don’t you think that it’s as great as skateboarding?