​A senior GB National Championships is rarely a match for a 10-year-old—unless you’re talking about skateboarding prodigy Jaxon Popovic. Born in Australia, raised in England, and now rooted in Wales, Jaxon will head to Cornwall from July 9 to 12 with the aim of becoming British champion. But don’t let his tender age fool you: he has not earned a place in an age-group division or even the chance to go head-to-head with other young hopefuls. Instead, he will line up against 26 of the UK’s top male skateboarders in the Newquay event, a field peppered with national champions, Olympic hopefuls, and a prize pot of £10,000.
It’s an extraordinary feat for a child who is still in primary school. Yet a quick look at his career highlights shows why his presence in the competition lineup isn’t surprising. In the past six months alone, he has posted notable results in Skateboard GB’s Survival of the Sickest series, a collection of events that has seen him win in Hemel Hempstead and secure podium finishes in Birmingham and Cornwall. These performances have earned him the spot at an event many in the sport have been yearning to participate in.
“I’m excited but a bit nervous,” Jaxon said. “I haven’t been to that park (Concrete Waves) for about two years. My goal was to qualify to compete in these championships, and when I found out I’d been selected, I was really excited. I’ve competed in national competitions before, and they’ve been fun, but they were in age-grade categories, so this will be different.”
Jaxon was barely a year old when he first stood on a skateboard, a moment captured in a family photo that has become part of his story. He lives in the small Pembrokeshire village of Solva and attends school in St Davids, far from the skateboarding hubs that dot the country. This means regular five-hour round trips to train at a skatepark near Cardiff have become a part of life for the young rider.
His path to the present has been carved long before he reached west Wales. Born in Darwin, his affinity for the sport appeared almost as soon as he could walk. “Shortly before his first birthday we were in a surf shop, and he became fixated on a skateboard on sale there,” explained his Welsh mother, Lucy. “He wouldn’t put it down, so we ended up buying it for him as a first birthday present. He was always trying to balance on it, which is how this all started.” By the time he was five, practice began to evolve into a genuine drive to improve and compete.
As his reputation grew beyond the west country, the move to Wales—though it has added to his travel burden—has not dulled his ambition or his work ethic. Training trips to a skatepark in Haverfordwest often see other skaters pause mid-run to watch the young talent carve through the ramps, marveling at his poise and control. A six-month stint back in Australia in 2025, spent on the Sunshine Coast, further accelerated his development, giving him opportunities to refine his style and technique in a different skate culture and climate.
Jaxon’s story is a striking example of how early talent paired with relentless dedication can transcend conventional expectations. He has not only captured attention in national circuits but also captured the imagination of a generation of young skaters who dream big while still learning the basics. As he prepares to face a field of seasoned competitors in Newquay, those who have watched his growth from the start are weighing the possibilities: could this small but swiftly rising star become a British champion in a field of adult contenders?
The Cornwall event will be more than a competition; it will be a showcase of a youngster who has turned early passion into a sustained pursuit, a reminder that in skateboarding, age can be just a number when talent and determination are allowed to lead the way.