Aya Asaqas: Moroccan skateboarder hopes her Olympic dream can inspire next generation

Over the past five decades, skateboarding culture has influenced sport, fashion, music, art and architecture, all while fostering a sense of community, belonging.

For 21-year-old Moroccan Aya Asaqas, skateboarding means many things. At first “it was like an escape”; a way to learn more about herself, explore her own limitations and push them as far as she could.

Asaqas got into the sport through surfing six years ago and has never looked back. The Rabat native, who is on the verge of qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics, found “a beautiful community” that spans all corners of the globe.

“It has too many different aspects that you can completely apply in your personal life out of skateboarding. But first it was just the thing that fulfilled me the most,” Asaqas said in an interview with The National.

“It was like an escape, learning about yourself, your limitations. Being able to believe that as a human being, the way we are built, we’re capable of doing more than we think we ever could be able to.

“Besides the fun, the joy, there’s a beautiful community; the people you mix with, maybe sometimes worldwide with the competitions, you have different cultures and backgrounds, you build friendships and mutual respect, which is awesome.”

Above all, Asaqas has found that skateboarding is about acceptance and “freedom”.

“The skateboarding scene, culture and life – I suppose, what the skaters live by – what makes it so special is that it doesn’t have to be a certain way,” she said. “A skater shouldn’t be this or that or wear this or that. It’s all about what makes you comfortable because no one is judging anything, not what you wear, not what music you listen to, it’s about self-expression.

“They let you express yourself the way