Angelo Caro is only 23 years old, but he can be considered a skateboarding veteran. The athlete, who has been on his board for more than a decade, was born in Chiclayo, in the north of Peru, and counts several achievements throughout his remarkable career.

After a complex 2022 marked by the recovery of a knee injury, Angelo traveled to Chile invited by Panam Sports, a moment in which he took the opportunity to talk with Santiago 2023 about his current situation and wishes facing the multi-sport event of the Americas. In addition, he gave us some keys related to a discipline that will be in the Games for the first time.

- How could you resume the year that has just ended?
- My 2022 started a bit complicated due to an injury that I had during 2021, while recording some videos after the Tokyo Olympic Games. I had injured my knee, so I had to go to Austria to recover at the end of 2021 and several months of 2022. From there I had to regain my confidence, my self-security and everything that can be needed to keep competing. It was physically and psychologically complicated to me, but I took the process in a progressive way. I knew the achievements I was gonna have were perhaps not the ones I wanted, but I was gonna move step by step, and that’s how it happened.

- Once you recovered, which were your most outstanding results?
- I came back for a championship in the United States where I was a finalist. Then I traveled to France, where I won fourth place. After that, I competed in Madrid, where I won second place and I closed the year with a first place, also in Madrid, competing in the Urban Sports. That’s why I said I moved progressively, and also I learned a good message from this situation, to know how to overcome myself.

- Skateboarders have to deal with injuries…
- It can always happen. Sometimes there are more severe injuries and the recovery process is a bit slower. In my case, this was the most serious injury of my career, similar to one that I had when I was 10 years old and suffered a knee dislocation. It was hard for me to have that feeling again, because it reminded me of that tough year I had as a kid.

Angelo Caro had an excellent participation during the Cali 2021 Junior Pan American Games, where he won a silver medal (picture from: Peruvian Olympic Committee)

FROM URBAN SPORT TO OLYMPIC DISCIPLINE

Caro’s career, just as most of professional skateboarders around the world, underwent a drastic change when it was announced this discipline would be considered for the Olympic cycle. A sport that always had an urban organization, now began counting on official and sustained support.

At that moment, the objectives of the athlete changed and focused on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, an instance in which Caro obtained a meritorious fifth place in the street category. From there on, Angelo Caro’s steps have been focused on just one direction: the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games and possible qualification to Paris 2024.

- How was the skateboarding world’s reaction when they found out that it was going to become an Olympic sport?
- At the beginning we were confused. Skateboarding began from the urban, the streets and it’s always been like this. It’s about competing in private competitions and hanging out to ride with friends. So it was a drastic change for everyone due to skateboarders didn’t understand what it was like having schedules to practice, having a coach or going to such big competitions. At first it was confusing, but when you start thinking about it and analyze it better, you can realize this was what skateboarding needed in Latin America, because we didn’t have the support that existed in other countries with more opportunities.

- Which are your expectations for Santiago 2023?
- The medal is the goal. I’m not wearing a necklace right now because I’m waiting to hang that medal around my neck. It has to be a gold one, but in the end I know that it’s possible to learn from every result. That’s the most important thing, learning from each experience.

- Is that your only goal for this year?
- Santiago 2023 is my clearest goal, but I have many others. I will participate in important championships that I wanna win, such as: Street League or Tampa Pro. This is my first tournament coming up in March. I will also take part in the Paris 2024 qualifiers that will be in the United Arab Emirates.

In all those competitions my goal is getting first place or being in the top 3, but mostly I wanna have fun and enjoy myself. That’s the way I began, enjoying my passion which is skateboarding.

- Will you visit Chile before competing in the Pan American Games?
- I’m thinking of coming during the Rey de Reyes, that is an important skateboarding competition here, in Chile. I’m coming with the objective of acclimatizing a bit and knowing what will be to participate in Santiago 2023.

- Is the Pan American Circuit competitive?
- The level is really good. As I said, this is what was missing in Latin America. The support that the federations, the corporations and States give us now, helps us a lot to keep improving our careers. I do believe that each country has its specific training. At least in Peru, we have good training and as I see in the social media, in every country the athletes are preparing very well and in their own way. So, I think it’s gonna be an amazing competition, but also a healthy one.

- And in your particular case, how is your daily training?
- I train every day, I just rest once a week. I have physical training from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., then I have skate training until 1pm approximately with very specific routines such as competition drills in all formats. I also work twice a week with a mental coach to prepare me psychologically, learn how to handle my nerves, my fears and the ideas that I have during the competitions. And this also helps me to regain my self-confidence when there is an injury, besides looking at personal life issues. The mental and physical part can be different but they end up coming together a lot.

Angelo during his visit to Chile (picture from: Santiago 2023)

“WHEN I STARTED SKATEBOARDING I WAS A VERY HYPERACTIVE CHILD”

Skateboarding is a sport in which the body is at permanent risk, something that has not been a problem for Angelo Caro throughout his career, but quite the opposite. The adrenaline has been his motor since he started, in a sport that has faced changes due to its incorporation into the Olympic circuit.

However, the young athlete considers there are certain elements of this discipline that won’t be missed, such as the good relationship between the competitors, the importance of private competitions and the style that characterize each skater.

- When did your passion for skateboarding begin?
- I started when I was 10 - 11 years old. I have 2 brothers and I always wanted to do what Fabricio, the middle one, did. He played football and I played football. He started skateboarding with his friends from the neighborhood at the corner of my house and that is why started skateboarding for the first time. During that time I was already a super hyperactive kid. I really liked the risk and, when I got on the skateboard, I felt that it completed me. I never got off again.

- Is it a sport that makes friends for the rest of your life?
- We are all friends, we have known each other since we were childs and we all grew up with the same objective. During a competition we are competitors but once the positions are announced, we all get happy, because we all started together from the bottom. I feel happy when one of my friends achieves something. 

- Unlike other more structured sports, skateboarding rewards imagination…
- I do believe that’s the essence of it. Everyone has their own world and their own style. That’s why I always try to encourage people to practice this, because it opens your mind, it helps you to discover and be yourself. When you get on a skate it is just you and the skate, nothing else. It’s a sport where creativity and style are rewarded.

- Is it important the role of the private world for skaters?
- In our world you try to leave a legacy. There are private competitions that started many years ago being very small and now they are huge. 

I think it’s a dream for any skateboarder to win one of those competitions because they are good for your career, also, a lot of people identify with these events, they have a lot of exposure and they allow you to make a reputation. Just as skateboarders didn’t know what was competing in Olympic circuits, in the skateboarding world there are things that people from outside maybe don’t understand. There’s a legacy that you want to leave, but it’s also very important to represent your country, so I take both of those things as important in my career, luckily, now I have the chance to do both of them.

Full name: Angelo Caro Narvaez.
Born date: August 27th, 1999.
Place of birth: Chiclayo, Peru.
Outstanding achievements:
- Olympic Games: 5th place in Tokyo 2020, street category.
- Junior Pan American Games: Silver in Cali 2020.
- World Skate Street League Pro Tour: Semifinals 2019 in USA
- Peru National Champion 2020.
- Winner of the Urban Madrid Sports 2022.

SANTIAGO 2023 COMMUNICATIONS
E-mail: comunicaciones@santiago2023.org
Official instagram: @santiago2023oficial
Mascot’s instagram: @fiusantiago2023
Twitter: @santiago2023
Facebook: Santiago2023oficial
Youtube: @Santiago2023oficial
TikTok: @Santiago2023oficial