Ryan Sheckler placed third in his respective skateboarding heat at the 2013 X-Games. It was the first time in four years the San Clemente skater failed to reach the street finals. Photo courtesy of ESPN
By Steve Breazeale
San Clemente’s Ryan Sheckler has been successful at the annual X-Games skateboard contest ever since he burst onto the scene as a 13-year-old back in 2003. Sheckler, now 23, has won five medals (including three golds) in nine appearances at arguably his sport’s most high-profile event.
Roughly 40 days after tearing the ligaments in his foot, Sheckler traveled to compete in the 2013 version of the X-Games, held in Fox do Iguacu, Brazil, and failed to advance out of the preliminary heats on April 19. It was the first time in four years that Sheckler has failed to medal in the street skating event.
Sheckler suffered a nasty injury while skating in Australia on February 25, tearing the ligaments in his right foot while trying to backside grind down a set of stairs. The San Clemente native went through extensive physical therapy, according to his website, and recovered in time to compete in Brazil.
Sheckler placed third in heat No. 3 of the Street League Skateboarding event, missing out on qualifying for the finals by 3.9 points. 18-year-old phenom Nyjah Huston would go on to claim the gold medal.
The event had been Sheckler’s stomping ground in recent years. He took home the silver medal in 2012 in Los Angeles, the bronze medal in 2011 and the gold in 2010.