Tony Hawk Says He's 'Proud' to Join NBC Olympics as Correspondent for Skateboarding's Tokyo Debut

Karen Mizoguchi
·2 min read
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Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb

Tony Hawk will be part of the Olympics this summer!

PEOPLE can exclusively announce that the skateboarding legend, 53, will make his debut as a correspondent for NBC Olympics when the Summer Games are broadcasted from Tokyo starting next month. (CNBC will air skateboarding's Olympic debut as a medal sport.)

"I'm proud to be a correspondent for skateboarding's debut at the Tokyo Olympics. It will be a celebration of how far skateboarding has come, and a testament to the perseverance of skaters everywhere. I can't wait to see the action!" Hawk tells PEOPLE.

Hawk, who spent four decades as a pioneer for skateboarding culture, turned professional at age 14 and later became the first skateboarder to land a 900, which is a 2½-revolution aerial spin performed on a skateboard ramp.

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On Wednesday, World Skate, which sanctions Olympic skateboarding, announced the 80 qualifiers for the Tokyo Games, ranging in ages 12 to 46-year-old Rune Glifberg, who competed at the very first X Games in 1995, took third in the vert event won by Hawk and was featured in the very first Tony Hawk Pro Skater video game.

In addition to Hawk, NBC News and MSNBC star Steve Kornacki, who gained popularity during the 2020 presidential election, will make his NBC Olympics debut as a correspondent as well.

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Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Hawk and Kornacki will be joining veteran correspondents Mary Carillo and Jimmy Roberts as well returning analysts Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir, both of whom were correspondents at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The Tokyo Olympics are currently scheduled to take place from July 23 through Aug. 8.

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, visit TeamUSA.org. Watch the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics this summer on NBC.