FRESH off his fifth Guinness World Record, local skater Jean-Marc Johannes continues to defy gravity.
Johannes was among five international skaters who recently made the Global International Podium for a virtual Pro Skate Competition hosted by the Ministry of Sport Affairs of Indonesia.
Known as the “Kemenpora Extreme Video Challenge”, Indonesia’s Global Skateboarding Event, skateboarders from around the world sent in videos of themselves performing tricks to the organisers and were evaluated by international judges Eddo Gawat, Deni Tx and Matt Mo.
Out of more than 200 videos globally, the Athlone-born skater achieved the "Top Rank" and an official international podium for South Africa.
Johannes said: “I'm very happy to be putting South Africa street skateboarding on the global podium for 2020. I have now achieved the most international podiums and Guinness World Records in history for South Africa in street skateboarding.”
The 29-year-old is currently sharpening his skateboarding skills and hopes to represent South Africa at next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“I hope to continue breaking records for South Africa. I want to thank my girlfriend Roxanne Morris, my sponsors Nike, Nokia mobile, Sporting Elements and Collab Skate for believing in my dreams and goals at all times and thank you to everyone that supports me. I am forever grateful,” he added.
In June, Johannes broke US skater Ivan Sebastian Cordova’s 10-year Guinness World Record after recording the most nollies in half a minute. He did 21 nollies in 30 seconds at Rondebosch Bowl on International Olympic Day. A nollie, you ask? A nollie is a skateboarding trick where the skateboarder uses his front foot to push the nose of the board down and slides his back foot backwards to achieve lift-off from the ground.
Owner and team manager at Sporting Elements, Clayton Prins said he is very proud of Johannes.
“We have been supporting his goals from the first time he won gold for South Africa at the FISE World Series and right up to this point bringing home another international win. He has worked very hard, stayed focused and has learnt a lot from his role models.This is only the beginning and we are looking forward to what he does next as he goes on to his Olympic journey,” he said.