Nottingham’s skate community is renowned for its strong sense of togetherness and frankly terrifying lack of fear, but in Karim Keita, it may soon have an Olympian among its alumni. We sit down with Karim to hear all about his love of the sport and what drives him to succeed…
There is something beautiful about finding a hobby that is not only about fitness, but about being outside, finding friendship and developing a skill. Skating is all of that, for anyone who tries it, but for Karim Keita, it's elevated to a new level: competing for a place in the Olympics with the Senegal Skate Team.
So how did a nineteen-year-old Confetti graduate go from skating at Flo to jetting off to Dubai to hustle in the International Olympic Qualifying Championships?
Karim has three nationalities - English, French and Senegalese - and has lived in each of those countries equally. France, where he is currently based, also marks the beginning of his journey. His Grandma lived close to the sea, so Karim started surfing, which laid the foundation for his skating career.
After spending his college years at Nottingham’s Confetti, with his days devoted to honing his skating at Flo and Sneinton Market, he returned to France. One day in Bordeaux, Karim met a French-Senegalese man who asked him to join the Senegal Skate Team. It’s been a big journey since this first interaction - he recently became one of fourteen athletes to have been selected as part of the youth Olympic programme for skating, and has been to Dubai, competing in the Olympic Qualifying Championship for Senegal.
It’s open to anyone of any age, any gender. That's what's really good about skating - you can vibe with anyone, it's all about having fun
Representing Senegal is especially meaningful to Karim. “I feel happy because it’s my origins. My dad’s from Senegal and I lived there for two years. I feel happy to represent it because it's like family.”
Chatting to Karim before his trip, he seems more excited to meet new skaters, see the crazy things they do and skate in Dubai, than he is concerned about the result of the championships. It's clear that his love of skating is one of healthy appreciation, separable from his ego and spirit for competition. With this perspective, any success Karim achieves is purely a bonus.
“We’re going to skate with all the communities from all the different counties. We’ll see some mad skaters, it's going to be really crazy and fun. Also, I've never been to Dubai. First time ever. I'm just happy because it's a new place, but I don't know what's new about it. Some people say really good things about Dubai. I want to see those good things.
“We can meet people out there and after, scout out the places that we could go skate, or scout some friends to skate with, and share where we might be able to meet next. This is where skateboarding is all about sharing. And sharing and having fun, that is what I love.”
As long as I can skate, I’m always happy
Since Karim and I first spoke, he has competed in Dubai. Though he missed a few tricks, he scored higher than in Rome 2022, and he still has a chance to qualify next year. Just a brief look on the @SenegalSkateTeam page, however, shows that scores are not what motivates this crew. In fact, Karim himself summed it up perfectly: “As long as I can skate, I’m kind of happy.”
Seeing athletes excelling at their sport can be intimidating, and witnessing that can feel like a barrier to beginners. But Karim assures me that perfecting tricks is only a small part of it. Skating is for anyone, each scene is unique and communities across the world are welcoming.
Whether he’s skating in France, Senegal, or Nottingham, Karim says “every single place feels special to me. Each place has… not a different emotion, but a speciality that you can't find in another place, and something that you want to have there. Like with Nottingham, there's a reason I want to be there.”
I ask him how he has found the skate community in Nottingham, and he grins, “Oh, lovely. I feel like it's very developed compared to most cities in the UK.
“I used to go to Flo Skatepark to skate with my mates. Obviously I would go to Sneinton Market, that's where the most skaters meet up. There’s Lady Bay, Radcliffe Skatepark or Rushcliffe Skatepark. Then there's also the Tram Line Spot that's opened recently, which is a new place where skaters can come together. I'll be coming back to Nottingham soon, so I'll be checking that out then. It looks sick.
It’s all about trying, and trying to understand it, and maybe you'll understand how the positive vibe of sharing and learning from other people can feel really good
“Skating together, we push each other to do our best. If you go to Sneinton Market, or the new Tram Line Spot now, you've got free beginners’ sessions and teachers there from Skate Nottingham. That is the community. When we skate together, sometimes we get together just for fun, and sometimes it can be more of a training thing to perfect our tricks.”
I’m intrigued to find if Karim feels that skating in Notts is a diverse community. “Yeah, it's open to anyone of any age, any gender. That's what's really good about skating - you can vibe with anyone, it's all about having fun. It's not about thinking what kind of hero you are, it's all about positive vibes, trying to learn tricks. It brings people together. Like with football or basketball, playing games unites people.”
“Hearing you speak about skating, it makes me want to try it…” I add. “You should,” asserts Karim. “You can go to Flo Skatepark or to the Tram Line Spot or go on Skate Nottingham where you'll be able to find beginner sessions and it'll be really fun. You’ve got people who can teach you, they're here to help, they take you from A to B, tell you what position you need to be in to be able to keep your balance. It’s all about trying, and trying to understand it, and maybe you'll understand how the positive vibe of sharing and learning from other people can feel really good.”
Keep up-to-date with Karim’s quest to reach the 2024 Olympic Games by following him on Instagram
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