An eight-year-old skating prodigy, who only picked up a board last Christmas, is already being tipped for future OLYMPIC success.
Little Eddie Lowe has mastered backside and indie grabs and has dropped off a 14ft (4.3m) ramp after taking up the sport nine months ago.
He even takes gymnastic and trampoline lessons to boost his agility and skates ever day after having a mini half-pipe installed in his garden.
Eddie, of Arnold, Notts., was bought a £10 board by his parents, Tony, 46, and care officer Helen, 39, for Christmas and went straight to Flo Skatepark in nearby Sneinton.
Jol Maltby, 35, who manages the park, said the youngster is way ahead of other skaters who went on to represent the UK.
He said: “From his first time at the park he stood out. He’s a quick learner, but also he just has no concept of height or fear.
“Because he’s come to the sport a bit late compared to a lot of top skaters, he does things differently.
“He’s also got this natural ability which means he doesn’t have a preferred direction and is just totally comfortable on the board.
“He loves grabbing airs and can do a backside, indie and frontside grab already.
“This is one of the best parks in the country. We’ve got one 16-year-old, Jessie Thomas, whose off in California with Tony Hawk right now.
“Another 12-year-old, Finley Kirby, is the under-16 UK champ and he wins competitions in Europe too.
“But Eddie is ahead of where those guys were at. If he keeps on this trajectory he’ll definitely be in the 2024 squad, if not before then.
“What I love about him though is his attitude. I asked him the other day what he thought about the Olympics and he said: ‘I don’t care, I just want to skate.'”
Tony, a teacher, said: “I just got him a cheap board for Christmas because I thought it wouldn’t get used, but he got hooked.
“Everyday he gets back from school he’s skating until it’s dark. Then when he stops he’s watching skate videos or playing with his fingerboard.
“I got a mini half-pipe installed, a one-metre one, in the garden for him. We’ve also taken him to gymnastic and trampolining lessons to help his agility.
“He practices back-flips and somersaults there for his tricks at the park.
“I just can’t believe the height he can go from.
“His technique is just so different though, it means there are people who have been skating their whole life who can’t do what he can do.
“I really do think he’ll make the Olympics if he keeps going like this.”
