Turkish skateboarder twins’ road to 2028 Olympics starts with success at ‘The Boardr’ Series

Eleven-year-old Turkish twins Efe and Ege Tok secured second and third place at the prestigious ‘The Boardr Series’ national skateboarding competition in the United States.

Living in the U.S. and already part of the Turkish national skateboarding team, the talented twins aim to represent Türkiye at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Rising stars in skateboarding world

The Boardr Series, held annually in the U.S. since 2013, features three categories: under-12, over-13, and open age. This year’s event saw 61 athletes compete, with the Tok twins participating in the under-12 group.

In their category, they faced off against eight top-ranked skateboarders from around the world, predominantly from the U.S. Efe clinched second place, while Ege finished third, marking a significant achievement on the international stage.

The fraternal twins, now fifth-grade students at UCLA Lab School, started engaging in sports as early as age three. Over the years, they have excelled in multiple sports disciplines.

However, at age eight, they chose to focus on skateboarding professionally. Their exceptional performance at the Turkish Championship when they were nine led to their selection for the Turkish National Skateboarding Team by the Türkiye Skateboarding Federation.

Training hard for olympic dreams

The boys’ mother, Sabiha Tok, explained their journey to skateboarding: “When our kids began playing basketball and soccer at age four, their coaches remarked that they had the potential to become future Olympians. For the past three years, Efe and Ege have dedicated themselves to skateboarding. Additionally, they’ve been practicing taekwondo since they were five to enhance their flexibility and strength, which contributes to their skateboarding skills.”

Efe and Ege’s father, Umut Tok, highlighted their rapid progress: “When they took up skateboarding as a hobby at eight, we never imagined such quick development. Just a year later, they became national champions in Türkiye. Now, their ultimate goal is to compete in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, and they are working incredibly hard to achieve it.”

A sacrifice for success

Sabiha Tok, who holds a master’s degree and a PhD in biophysics from Istanbul University’s Capa Medical School, shared how she made a significant sacrifice for her children’s dreams.

She and her husband, who completed his master’s and PhD in mechatronics at Sabanci University, originally moved to Los Angeles for a two-year research stint at the University of California.

However, they decided to stay in the U.S. to support their children. “I intended to become a professor, but due to the pandemic and the need to support Efe and Ege, I gave up my academic career,” she said.