- Title: 10 y.o. skater without legs goes viral after Tony Hawk shoutout
- Date: 17th September 2019
- Summary: ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA (SEPTEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SKATER, MAXIM ABRAMOV, SAYING (ASKED WHAT HE FELT WHEN TONY HAWK POSTED HIS VIDEO): "I can show you! (JUMPS) That's how I celebrated!" MAXIM AND HIS COACH PERFORMING TRICKS, MAXIM CELEBRATING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) COACH, PAVEL MUSHKIN, SAYING: "Training sessions with Max are very natural. He creates new tricks himself, I see it and I catch up. I have been in skateboarding for a while and I can tell what he can do and what's too early for him and we train accordingly. As for his personality - he is a strong guy, he gives strong vibes and he is very focused." MAXIM STAKEBOARDING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SKATER, MAXIM ABRAMOV, SAYING: "I learn new tricks. And even today I have learnt a new one. Imagine its a ramp (TAKES HIS BOARD TO SHOW). Oh, I am sliding down, sliding down! (CLIMBS BACK). So you go, you turn and than you go down there again. That's called (INAUDIBLE). And there is another trick. (TURNS THE BOARD IN HANDS). I have learnt to do it myself without Pasha (SHORT NAME FOR PAVEL). I did it while he was on the phone. Easy!" MAXIM PERFORMING TRICK MAXIM POLISHING HIS BOARD
- Embargoed: 1st October 2019 17:52
- Keywords: Russian legless skater skater without legs Tony Hawk skateboarding
- Location: ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA AND INTERNET
- City: ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA AND INTERNET
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Sport,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA003AX1RTQX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Russian 10-year-old skateboarder Maxim Abramov recently woke up to find thousands of new followers on his Instagram and dozens of personal messages from people across the globe after a video of him was re-posted by skateboarding legend Tony Hawk on September 12.
Hawk shared a video of Maxim filmed by his coach, Pavel Mushkin, with his 4.6 million followers calling the boy his 'new favourite skater'. When asked what he felt about it - Maxim - who is called Max by his coach and friends - said he couldn't describe the feeling before jumping with his hands.
Max's first skateboard was simply a way to make getting around easier for the boy who lost both his legs when his bed caught fire when he was just 18-months-old.
The tragic incident was widely reported in Russian media when it happened in 2011. Max's biological mother was eventually charged with neglect and lost parental rights as a result of the tragedy.
Max was later adopted by a family in St Petersburg and now he plans to become a professional skateboarder.
He says that at first a skateboard was just more comfortable than his prosthetic legs until one day he accidentally rolled into a skate park and was approached by a coach. Today he performs difficult tricks and is praised by his coach for being focused and tireless.
Pavel Mushkin says Max trains hard and takes part in all available competitions he can with the hopes of one day taking part in the Paralympic Games, although for now skateboarding is not part of the competitions.
(Production: Dmitry Vasilyev, Maria Vasilyeva) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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