Hunter skateboarder chasing 2028 Olympic medal after world tour
Seventeen-year-old Taj Wolfenden from Newcastle is pursuing qualification for skateboarding at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Wolfenden started skateboarding at six when his dad put him on a board near their Valentine home. Wolfenden has just competed at the world championship in Paraguay and a World Cup event in Italy.
Wolfenden needs to reach the top 30 world rankings to qualify. Australia can only send three male skaters, and all must be in that top 30.
Wolfenden won Australia's national park championship on the Gold Coast in July. He stopped home schooling to train full-time, working with coach Trevor Ward at Level Up Skatepark on the Gold Coast, where Olympic gold medallist Arisa Trew also trains.
Over the next 18 months, he'll compete in further qualifying events overseas before the 2028 Games.
- 17 years old
- Athlete age
- Newcastle
- Home town
- 2028 Los Angeles
- Olympic qualification deadline
- 3 competitors, all must rank top 30
- Australia's male skateboard spots
Why it mattersSkateboarding only joined the Olympics in 2021, and Wolfenden is pursuing qualification for Los Angeles 2028 after competing at the world championship.
AustraliaIf Wolfenden qualifies and medals, he would be the second Australian after Newcastle's Poppy Starr Olsen to represent Australia in Olympic skateboarding.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
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