Central Florida skateboarder not giving up after falling short of Olympic dream in Paris qualifiers
A Central Florida native just missed her shot at Paris after coming in fourth place in the skateboarding qualifiers for Women’s Park events.
Grace Marhoefer grew up in Cocoa Beach, hitting the local skateparks every chance she got. From the moment she stepped foot on a board, Marhoefer was hooked.
Marhoefer was 7 years old and attending a friend's skateboarding birthday party when she fell in love with the sport.
"I went down like a bank or like a little hill and fell in love instantly... I think the next day, I told my mom, 'Let's go to the skate park.' And then from that day on, I went every day, hours on end," Marhoefer recalls.
She practiced her craft and perfected her favorite tricks, like the eggplant.
"It's where you stand on one hand, like one arm," she explained.
Being suspended upside down, she said, is exhilarating and just makes her smile.
Marhoefer is one of the lucky few who was able to turn her childhood obsession into a career.
"Skateboarding not only has changed my life but has shaped my life in every possible way," Marhoefer said.
At just 15 years old, she was already making headlines. Today, she's competed all around the world and is now one of the best skateboarders in the world.
"When I found out skating was in the Olympics suddenly... I was like, that'd be cool. Maybe one day," said Marhoefer when asked about her sport being added to the Olympic Games.
Marhoefer is now hoping that day will be in 2028 after she missed the Paris Olympics by one spot.
A major upset after overcoming three serious injuries to even get to the qualifiers. She tore her ACL, MCL, and meniscus.
She suffered injuries that prevented her from competing in the qualifiers for the 2020 Tokyo Games, the first to include the sport of skateboarding.
"It was long. It was a full year couldn't really skate for a full year. It gave me like a break to be like, 'Wow, that's it. That is really what I want.' And it made me more grateful for the sport," Marhoefer explained.
As soon as she got back on her feet, Marhoefer got back to work. She ate right, stretched, and hit the skateboarding training center twice a day to make sure she was ready when the Summer Olympics came around.
Years of hard work leading up to this moment.
Even though she didn’t make it this time, Marhoefer said she isn’t giving up following the advice she gives to others: “Never give up. You can always achieve your dream. Just work hard on it. You got it.”
Marhoefer said she still has her sights set on one day representing our country on the Olympic stage.
"It would be actually a dream come true. And once in a lifetime opportunity, I'd feel honored," Marhoefer said.