Skateboarders ready to feel the Paris 2024 love

PARIS : There was some heartbreak in Tokyo for Nyjah Huston and Aurelien Giraud, but the two skaters are getting into the Paris 2024 hype in style, ready to feel the crowd's love at the Olympics for the first time.

Three years ago in Japan, Giraud took sixth place with Huston, a street skateboarding great with 12 X Games gold medals, finishing a spot behind.

Last Saturday, however, both were near their best as Giraud took first place while Huston came third in the SLS first leg in Paris' Adidas Arena.

The Olympic events will be held on the Place de la Concorde, but Huston and Giraud, the street skateboard world champion, got a first taste of the Paris crowd support.

"I think the energy out there will be a lot better, and Tokyo was a little weird for everyone, no crowd, no hype, no homies there so I'm excited to give it another shot it's going to be a fun one," the 29-year-old Huston told Reuters.

Huston is a seasoned X Games rider and a six-time world champion but cannot wait to embrace the Olympic vibe.

"The difference between the X Games and the Olympics... the course will be a lot bigger at the Olympics and obviously it's the Olympics it's legendary, it's worldwide, you're skating for your country and to me that's like the biggest difference you feel, that pressure from a whole country instead of ... your family and fans and stuff," the American explained.

Huston, widely regarded as one of the greatest skateboarders of all time, believes the presence of his sport at the Olympics was long overdue.

"When I first heard ... that I had a chance to make it I didn't give it very much thought beforehand but after people started talking about it I was like 'wow, why wasn't it in there so many years ago like snowboarding'. I feel like