Berger in position to qualify for Paris Olympics, talks of equipment difficulties that derailed Tokyo performance

Kamloops skateboarder Matt Berger has put himself in good position to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Summer Games in Paris.

“There is no question about it. I definitely want to come back, make it to Paris and, hopefully, do better,” said Berger, who finished last in the street discipline in 20th place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed amid the pandemic and held in 2021.

“The last Olympics was an amazing lesson. After processing it all, it brought a drive and a level of humility that is a little different for me.”

Berger, 30, is 24th in World Skateboarding Rankings and among the 44 who remain in contention to earn one of 20 spots available in the street discipline in the Paris Olympics.

He was in precarious position and in danger of being outside of the top 44 at the most recent cut-down date, but came through with a crucial seventh-place finish at a World Skateboarding Tour Event in March in Dubai that vaulted him into 24th place.

“From what I’m told, what I did in Dubai was very important,” said Berger, the Kamloopsian who lives in Huntington Beach, Calif.

There are two Olympic Qualifier Series events remaining on the schedule — in May in Shanghai and in June in Budapest.

Finishing inside the top 20 in world rankings does not guarantee an Olympics berth.

Berger said he would be in if qualification ended today (April 21), as there are limitations on how many skaters countries can take to the Games, which are slated to run from July 26 to Aug. 11.

He gave the example of Japan, noting it has six skaters ranked inside the top 20, but can take a maximum of three to the Games.

“After they do that cut, I’d be in the top 20,” Berger said. “But it really is going to come down to the next two events because they account for so much.”

Berger opted not to speak publicly after the Tokyo Olympics about equipment difficulties that he told CFJC Today sabotaged his performance on competition day.

“Japan was definitely a tough lesson, no question,” Berger said. “It didn’t go well. The heat was a serious factor, not only on the body, but it also affected the boards I had. It was a tough one, showing up and just doing my best knowing I was kind of hooped with the given circumstances.

“But there was no way I was, post-Olympics, going to go out and blame anything other than myself, even if there were variables that did affect things. Who does that? What champion would ever do that? I wanted to sit with it and learn from it and grow.”

Berger took about six months off from skating competitively after Tokyo.

“It hurt, obviously, but the itch came back and I wanted to have another go at it,” said Berger, who was in Toronto last week modelling the Team Canada Olympic clothing collection designed by Lululemon for the 2024 Games.

“Moving forward, I have more experience and different things in play and plans, so hopefully we can make it there and also show up in a better spot than last time.”