Manassas Skateboarder Has Sites Set On Olympics

MANASSAS, VA — A 29-year-old Manassas man has set his sites on earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. But it isn't for a traditional Olympic sport. Ben Hatchell hopes to become a member of the new skateboarding Olympic team that will debut in Tokyo in 2020.

“I think they just wanted something new and exciting, and they finally wised up to try out skateboarding,” Hatchell told WTOP.

Hatchell began skateboarding approximately 15 years ago when everyone in his neighborhood was hooked on it.

"It looked cool," he said.

Hatchell has advanced through two Olympic qualification rounds. Next up will be the World Park Skateboarding Championships this year in Sao Paulo, Brazil. But that isn't cheap. Hatchell's good friends are rallying around his goal with a special "shred sesh" and a GoFundMe page.

Mike Mapp, 58, a skateboarding ramp designer, has volunteered to help cover his expenses. He's also organized the private shredding event where friends can pay $100 for a skating session.

“This is going to help him travel to places like Brazil, and China, and wherever these qualifiers are,” Mapp told WTOP. “Oftentimes, these are two-week trips, and you have to stay in places, and they’re not cheap, that’s for sure.”

Mapp described Hatchell as a "phenomenal, super-pro skater" and said that if anyone has a shot at the Olympics, it's him.

The skateboarding Olympics will feature both street and park competitions for male and female Olympic competitors. According to the 2020 Olympics, street competition will be held on a straight street-like course featuring stairs, handrails, curbs, benches, walls and slopes. Each
competitor performs individually and utilizies each section to demonstrate a range of skills and tricks. Park competitions will take place on a hollowed-out course featuring a series of complicated curves with some resembling large dishes and dome-shaped bowls.

Patch is a business partner with GoFundMe.