How Nyjah Huston overcame hardships for a chance at Olympic glory

The 2024 Paris Olympics officially begin Friday with the opening ceremony. On Saturday, it'll be wheels up for one of the world's best street skaters.

American Nyjah Huston , a favorite in the men's street event, is looking for Olympic redemption. He is a six-time world champion and 15-time X Games gold medalist. However, at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Huston left without a medal .

"It wasn't my best day skating. There was a couple tricks out there that I just couldn't put down," he told "CBS Mornings."

Overcoming hardships

Huston was born in Davis, California, to his mother Kelle and his father Adeyemi, who is also a skating fanatic. Learning to ride a skateboard in his family was mandatory.

"There's actually photos of me stacking these random objects that I called my toys on a skateboard. I was probably, like, two or three years old.  And I was just instantly drawn to it right away," he said.

Skating is a way of life for Huston, but it didn't come easy.

By the age of 10, he was already winning pro competitions. However, after an abrupt move to Puerto Rico, Huston disappeared from the skating scene. Divorce split the family, and Huston remained with his father, who pushed him hard to train.

"I think the fact that I was able to get through all those rough moments as a kid and still come out with that much love for it is the perfect example of, like, how fun skateboarding is. It's really just an addiction. There's just, there's nothin' else like it."

Kelle Huston eventually won custody of her son. Back in California his career exploded.

"I like to say that his father gave him roots to grow, and I feel like I gave him wings to fly," she said.

But the family struggled financially until Huston won the first ever street league competition when he was 15 years old. The grand prize: $150,000.

"That was like, just so much relief and weight being lifted off my shoulders," he said. "I was finally able to, you know, become my own person."

Olympic journey

Now one of the most decorated skateboarders in history, Huston said his failures are the key to his success.

"When we put out these video parts that people watch on YouTube or whatever, or they see us skate these contests and land most of our tricks first try, they don't realize that skateboarding is really 90% falling. I hope you guys show some of the falls in this, because I have taken quite a beating throughout my lifetime."

Although he feels the pressure was too much at the Tokyo Games, Paris presents a new opportunity for the 29-year-old.

"I think Tokyo not going how I wanted to, not skating my best that day, definitely only drives me more to go out there and perform well. I'm gonna go out there and do my absolute best."