Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 26 (IANS) When Rahul Rafi first stepped on a skateboard at the SiSP skate school in Kovalam in 2014, representing India at an international competition in Russia was probably the last thing he imagined.

Twelve years later, the 25-year-old skateboarder is preparing to take that journey, carrying with him a story that reflects the rise of India’s grassroots skateboarding movement.

Rahul, trained at the Sebastian India School Project (SiSP) in Kovalam, will represent India at the BRICS Skate Cup 2026, an international festival of street culture and action sports being held in Ryazan, Russia, starting on Thursday till Sunday.

More than 500 athletes from around 30 countries are expected to participate in the festival, which features skateboarding, roller sports and scootering, along with exhibitions, discussions and cultural programmes.

For Rahul, however, the trip is about more than competition. Skateboarding has become his profession and way of life.

“I never imagined I’d one day represent India at an international festival like the BRICS Skate Cup,” Rahul said.

“Representing my country is a huge responsibility and a chance to inspire others.”

His journey is particularly distinctive because Rahul is not a conventional full-time athlete.

He is also a professional skatepark builder, and says he has been involved in around 75 per cent of the projects undertaken by 100 Ramps Skate Park Construction in India.

Much of his working life is spent with concrete rather than conventional training equipment building skateparks and then skating the streets and facilities he helps create.

“I don’t train like a typical athlete. For me, skateboarding is a lifestyle. I’m a skateboarder for life, more than just an athlete,” he said.

The BRICS Skate Cup will bring together some of the biggest names in the sport, including Argentina’s Matias Dell Olio, a 2024 Olympic finalist and world street skateboarding silver medallist, along with Russian champion Egor Kaldikov.

But Rahul’s presence carries its own significance.

His journey from a skateboarder discovering the sport in Kovalam to an Indian representative on an international stage reflects how far India’s skateboarding culture has travelled.

For Rahul, the message is simple, passion can create opportunities far beyond the streets where the journey begins.

“This is more than a competition,” he said.

“It is proof that passion and hard work can open global doors and take you anywhere.”

–IANS

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