Like most skateboarders, Gui Khury grew up idolizing the GOAT (greatest of all time), Tony Hawk.
Hawk retired in 2003, but he is still considered to be one of the most influential athletes in the history of the sport. Among his most famous moments was when he landed the first documented 900 skateboarding trick in 1999.
Even after all this time, Hawk is still heavily involved in the sport. While attending the Pacifico Skateboard Vert Best Trick during the X Games 2021 in Vista, California, he even joined the competition himself for the first time in almost two decades.
“I jumped into the Best Trick event at @xgames this afternoon and managed to make a few things; it was my first time skating the event since 2003. So fun to be back in the mix!” he tweeted.
That’s how, on day three of the competition, 12-year-old Gui Khury of Brazil, found himself standing on the same platform as the superstar who has influenced millions of young skaters worldwide. Gui knew he had to pull out all the stops not only to win the gold, but also to impress his idol!
There was no better way to do so than by pulling off a trick that no one – not even Hawk himself – had managed to land in competition! Like the 900 Hawk pulled off all those years before, no skater had ever successfully completed the 1080 on a non-mega ramp before. Many consider this complicated move to be the “Holy Grail” of skateboarding.
The 1080 involves three full rotations in the air. Gui had tried to land it a few times already, but his third attempt turned out to be the charm!
Gui not only completed the move and landed it, but he also made it look easy! The announcers and crowd couldn’t believe their eyes when the tween soared through the air and stuck the landing. By the time he reached the top of the ramp, Gui was wiping away tears of joy.
His all-time hero was one of the first people to step forward and congratulate the 12-year-old. First, Hawk gave Gui a fist bump, and then he wrapped the boy in a big hug. Gui was visibly moved, and we don’t blame him one bit!
Thanks to this daring move, Gui beat out eight other competitors (including Hawk!) in the Vert Best Trick category. He is now the youngest person to ever win a gold medal in X Games history – and the only person to ever land the 1080 in a competition!
This is such an emotional and amazing moment! Watch Gui set the bar right in front of Tony Hawk in the video below, and don’t forget to share this story.
Gui Khury 🇧🇷 wins gold in Pacifico Skateboard Vert Best Trick at #XGames 2021! pic.twitter.com/B0N6eqb1e8
– X Games (@XGames) July 17, 2021
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