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Jagger Eaton had the time of his life at the Tokyo Olympics while etching his name into the Summer Games’ history books when he was among the first to medal in skateboarding’s debut.
The 20-year-old Arizona native picked up a bronze medal in the street event at Ariake Urban Sports Park on Sunday, becoming the first-ever American to do so. He told Fox News in a recent Zoom interview competing in the Olympics and getting on the medal stand meant everything to him.
"I’ve had this dream for so long, and my whole goal was just to be on that podium," he said. "Knowing my family’s background, knowing where I come from, knowing how big the Olympics were in my family, knowing that we all watched it every summer … just to be able to say that title, to be able to have that, it means everything to me. I’m so stoked I even got the opportunity because I almost thought I didn’t.
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Jagger Eaton of the United States reacts after competing in the men's street skateboarding at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
"When I was a kid and I started skateboarding and growing up in my family and knowing the Olympic Games were the biggest level of competition, I always wanted it to be an Olympic sport, but I never really saw it happening until about five or six years ago when there were talks about it. And once there were talks about it, I just like … I lost my mind. I was so stoked that I would have the opportunity to compete for my country, and once that started I made the Instagram post, ‘Let the Games begin,’ and snap – I saw the goal. I saw the light at the end of the tunnel."
Eaton, the son of former U.S. national gymnastics team member Shelly Schaerer, entered Tokyo in an odd situation with no fans present and coronavirus taking hold of most of the conversation entering the Games. He said he felt like he and his skateboarding colleagues turned the negative into a positive.
"My overall experience was amazing. I feel like I had the greatest time of my life there. I really do. I know I’ve gotten a lot of questions about COVID there and also no fans, but at the same time I feel like athletes at this level can turn a negative into a positive, and that’s just what we did. All us, especially the team – me, Nyjah [Huston], Jake [Ilardi] – stayed together in the room. We just took what we could from it," he told Fox News, while expressing his gratitude toward Japan and Olympic organizers for pulling it off.
Preparing for the Olympics was no easy feat, Eaton explained.
US OLYMPIAN JAGGER EATON BAFFLES FANS AS HE SKATES WITH AIRPODS IN EAR
The Red Bull athlete, who was the youngest competitor at the X Games at age 11, said he had to focus on making sure he finished well enough to even make the Olympics.
"Preparing for the Olympic Games, it wasn’t anything that I was used to. It was a marathon. It wasn’t like one event. It was getting points," he said. "It was going contest-to-contest, staying healthy. Doing (the math), calculating how many points I need to be top three in each event. It was just way different because once I got to the Games, I feel like a lot of the weight was lifted off of my shoulders with that. Like a lot of weight knowing there were no points involved. Whatever happened, happened. This is the big show."
Having the weight of the world on your shoulders had been a topic thrust into the global spotlight when U.S. gymnastics star Simone Biles pulled out of the team and individual all-around competitions. Biles cited her mental health as the reason why she took a break.
While Eaton couldn’t speak to what athletes like Biles were going through, he did understand the immense pressure was "hard on your head."
Jagger Eaton of the United States reacts after his run in the men's street skateboarding at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 24, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
"For me, I was just breathing in just that Olympic vibe. I was just in it. I was so in it and I was having such a good time. I don’t know. I kinda blacked out when I saw the course and when I started skating … it all worked out. I was taking it all in," he said.
Eaton said he hoped those watching saw the bond each of the competitors had during the event.
"I really want people to see how much fun we have on our skateboards. Even in the most pressure-filled situation of my life I feel like I was having some of the greatest times of my life," he said.
What’s next for the young Olympian? Rest.
Eaton said you’d "definitely" see him at the 2024 Paris Olympics but hoped to heal an ankle issue that had been bugging him for a few months and spend time with his family.
Eaton goes viral
While the bronze medal is a remarkable accomplishment in its own right, Eaton went viral during the event as he wore his AirPods while riding.
Fans watching Eaton wondered what he was listening to while staking.
He explained to Fox News his playlist consists of rappers like Playboi Carti and DW FLAME and country music artists like Luke Bryan.
"I’m definitely listening to music. I was listening to a lot of like new rap and old country music, which I know are polar opposites but somehow it just works for me. I think that’s the Arizona in me a little bit. I was just having such a good time with the AirPods in. I needed that music, especially without the crowd, because I really do feed off of the crowd's energy and not having them there, I kinda had to create that for myself," Eaton said.
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"It was my playlist I’d just be vibin’ to. Like for real, that’s really me. I’ve shown my music to the world, but not really. I’m stoked I made that playlist and got to promote what I’m about."