Consider this a sign for you to finally start that new hobby you’ve been putting off.
Two years ago, retired technician Yoshio Kinoshita of Japan was shopping at a market that sells unclaimed items left on the railway. A skateboard caught his eye, and on a whim, he decided to buy it.
What started off as a spur-of-the-moment purchase has turned into a full-fledged passion. When Yoshio isn’t at his part-time job as a parking attendant, he can be found practicing his moves at the local skate park alongside athletes who are younger than his grandkids. Not that they mind – in fact, they love having him around!
“They are all my teachers,” Yoshio said.
When he first started to skateboard, Yoshio took things slowly by always holding onto the railing. With daily practice, he was soon able to do tricks like a 180-degree turn!
“For people like me who try to learn new things, if we don’t practice it little by little every day we will forget how to do it immediately,” he said.
Some might not recommend that Yoshio do a potentially dangerous activity like skateboarding at 81 years old, but his age is exactly why he chose this particular sport.
As he gets older, Yoshio wants to stay sharp and do what he can to prevent getting dementia. He believes one way he can do that is by consistently making time for skateboarding.
“It’s a sport with a sense of tension,” he said. “Rather than zoning out, I think skateboarding improves the ability to think even just by a little bit.”
Yoshio loves to find inspiration in fellow athletes. He was a huge fan of the Tokyo Olympics, especially the three medalists in the skateboarding competition. All three are teenagers, and the gold medalist, 13-year-old Momiji Nishiya, is from his home country of Japan.
“They are really incredible,” Yoshio said. “To be honest, I can’t beat those 5-year-old, 4-year-old, or 3-year-old kids. That’s for sure.”
You may not find Yoshio bragging about his own skills, but it’s clear that this talented guy is an inspiration to people of all ages, whether they’re a skateboarder or not.
Not long ago, the World Record Academy officially recognized him as the Oldest Skateboarder at 81. That’s not an Olympic medal, but it definitely deserves to be celebrated!
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