I was put on to this excellent video of Tony Hawk landing his final ever Ollie 540 by Ira Glass via the This American Life podcast.
For those who aren’t familiar with Tony Hawk, he’s widely regarded as the G.O.A.T of skateboarding. He was the first to land a 900, which is a two-and-a-half-revolution aerial spin, and has been the most recognisable face in the sport during his multi-decade career.
Three years ago, Hawk was trying to land an Ollie 540 one last time—which is a move where the skater completes one-and-a-half rotations without touching the board with their hands.
Hawk is seen trying, and trying, and trying, and failing, and failing, and failing. He just can’t land the trick. But he keeps going. Falling hard on the surface of the halfpipe, and slipping off into camera equipment.
Finally, Hawk lands the move, kicks his board into the air, and falls to his knees. He’s almost in tears. He admits he feels sad because it’s the last time he’ll land the trick. The pursuit is what has been driving him his whole career, and the finality of knowing he won’t attempt another Ollie 540 was relief and anguish at the same time.
It’s a brilliant moment, and an amazing insight into the mind of a fiercely ambitious competitor.