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Marcelo Lusardi, the blind skater taking social media by storm
Marcelo Lusardi, an Argentine-born skater living in Galicia, returned to skateboarding after losing his sight to a rare inherited eye disease. His videos have attracted a large online following, while his work has helped raise the profile of paraskate and its athletes.
Lusardi, now 28, relearned skating with a cane, carefully mapping unfamiliar spots and relying on a sighted companion to warn him of hazards. He has more than 125,000 Instagram followers, and skateboarding legend Tony Hawk has shared his videos. Lusardi is an ambassador for the paraskate competition at O Marisquiño, which offers the same prize money as the regular skate event; he also supports including paraskate in the Olympics.
In short
- Marcelo Lusardi returned to skating after losing his sight.
- His videos have drawn more than 125,000 Instagram followers.
- He champions equal prizes and Olympic inclusion for paraskate.
Explained simply
Marcelo Lusardi is an Argentine-born skateboarder who lives in Galicia, north-west Spain. He lost his sight because of a rare inherited eye disease, then returned to skating by learning familiar movements in new ways and using a cane and a sighted companion to help him navigate skate spots.
Paraskate is skateboarding adapted for athletes with disabilities. Lusardi’s videos have brought wider attention to the sport and its competitors, while events such as O Marisquiño give paraskaters a competition alongside the regular skate event. The debate over whether paraskate should be included in the Olympics is part of wider efforts to expand recognition of adaptive sports.