Rahul Rafi, a 25-year-old skateboarder from Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, is set to represent India at the BRICS Skate Cup 2026 in Ryazan, Russia, a journey that began when he first stepped on a board at the Sebastian India School Project (SiSP) skate school in 2014. The international festival of street culture and action sports runs from Thursday through Sunday, drawing more than 500 athletes from around 30 countries.

From Kovalam Streets to an International Stage

Rahul's path to international competition is rooted in Kovalam's grassroots skateboarding scene. Trained at the SiSP skate school, he represents a generation of Indian skateboarders who found the sport not through elite academies but through community-driven initiatives. His selection for the BRICS Skate Cup 2026 underscores how far India's skateboarding culture has travelled in just over a decade.

'I never imagined I'd one day represent India at an international festival like the BRICS Skate Cup,' Rahul said. 'Representing my country is a huge responsibility and a chance to inspire others.'

A Skateboarder Who Builds What He Skates

What sets Rahul apart is an unconventional profile that blends athlete and craftsman. He is also a professional skatepark builder, reportedly involved in around 75 per cent of the projects undertaken by 100 Ramps Skate Park Construction in India. Much of his working life is spent with concrete — constructing the very facilities he and others skate.

'I don't train like a typical athlete. For me, skateboarding is a lifestyle. I'm a skateboarder for life, more than just an athlete,' he said. This dual identity as builder and competitor gives his international debut a distinctive texture rarely seen in Indian sport.

Competition Field at BRICS Skate Cup 2026

The BRICS Skate Cup will feature some of the sport's prominent names. Among them is Argentina's Matias Dell Olio, a 2024 Olympic finalist and world street skateboarding silver medallist, as well as Russian champion Egor Kaldikov. The festival also includes roller sports, scootering, exhibitions, discussions, and cultural programmes, making it as much a celebration of street culture as a competitive event.

What Rahul's Journey Signals for Indian Skateboarding

Rahul's selection is notable in the broader context of India's action sports development. Skateboarding made its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, and India has been working to build competitive depth in the discipline. Community schools like SiSP in Kovalam have played a quiet but significant role in that pipeline, producing athletes who might otherwise never have encountered the sport.

'This is more than a competition,' Rahul said. 'It is proof that passion and hard work can open global doors and take you anywhere.'

As the BRICS Skate Cup 2026 gets underway in Ryazan, Rahul Rafi's presence on that start list will be watched closely by India's growing skateboarding community — and could encourage the next wave of young riders from similar grassroots backgrounds to aim higher.