Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk broke down in tears after landing the trick he made famous for the last ever time.
The American says he started trying the incredibly tough ollie 540s "as a joke" back in 1989, but finally mastered the move. However at age 52 - and with wear and tear on his body - Hawk has decided to retire the move.
But he couldn't do that without landing it one last time. And after some painful failures - including one that saw him fly right off the half-pipe - he finally completed it perfectly. Then was visibly overcome with emotion.
Hawk shared the video on Instagram; from his earliest attempts at a 540 to his attempts in 2021 - one of which left him with a bloody and shredded pinky finger - to him landing the trick. For the last ever time.
Advert
"In 1989 I started trying ollie 540s as a joke, since it seemed there was no way to keep a skateboard on your feet throughout one-and-a-half spins in the air," Hawk explained.
He eventually nailed the move and made it his own. However the undisputed skateboarding GOAT admits that he's struggled with it in the past few years - hence his decision to retire the trick (or him doing it, at least).
"They've gotten scarier in recent years, as the landing commitment can be risky if your feet aren't in the right places," he added on IG. "And my willingness to slam unexpectedly into the flat bottom has waned greatly over the last decade.
Advert
"So today I decided to do it one more time... and never again.
"You can swipe to see the progression of those attempts, including a slam that looks eerily similar to the one I took while shooting with Stacy [Peralta]. But this time I took down a camera, tripod and my pinky as collateral damage in my quest for glory."
It was worth it, Tony.
Advert
While it can't be easy realising that Father Time is stopping you being so elite at your sport, at least Hawk defied him by landing the ollie 540 one final time.
Featured image credit: Instagram/@tonyhawk
Featured Image Credit: