Interview by Nicolas Schopfer & Mihai Bivol
Edit by Mihai Bivol
1. Everybody in Europe knows your name, yet nobody really know who you are. Who are you? Where are you from? Tell us more about your journey in rollerblading!
Jeremy Suarez Jimenez, but Suarez is enough and I’m from Brussels, Belgium. I started skating when I was just 8 years old and loved it from the start. It was a great time in rollerblading when it was just booming all over the world and especially in Europe!
I was taken under the wings of the old school riders that are now the GITANKLAN (Gipsyclan). When I was 11-12, I stopped skating for about 5 years to do some other things with my life, now I’m 22, and I’ve been skating again for the past 5-6 years, but what has it changed? *laughs*
I’m glad to hear that “everybody” knows my name, can’t wait to see where that gets me!
2. Who were the riders you looked up to the most when you started skating?
Aight! Mainly Belgium riders like Jean Jean Chanet, Issam Tolba, Morad Tolba Paquito Bastiaux, Rex Loveranes, Gauthier Piret, Damien Mink, Enrique Roces, the Gitanklan, the French, the Germans, the Swiss, the Spanish…everyone actually!
3. People want to know if your appearances in competition are just temporary or are you seriously getting back into the game?
I hope I have the capacities to maybe get back into the game, I still have a lot to catch up! But for sure, attending events, see some friends, it’s always fun! All in all, yes, I’ll definitely be around as much as I can!
4. Personally, I love watching you skate, it reminds me of skating back in the late 90’s but more brutal. What do you think of the scene today in comparison to 10-15 years ago?
Thanks! I like rollerblading as much as I did in the past. Only thing that gets to me is to see those guys trying “impossible”, crazy tricks, without any technique. I mean, if you can’t do a clean soul grind, don’t try spinning into it, it will look sketchy. It’s just how I see it, but everything else is great!
5. You skate pro for Forward Freestyle Skateshop, tell us what it means to you to skate for them? (As well as the skatepark, you know… the family!)
Well, like you just said it, the family, Belgium style I’d say! No but seriously, Forward Freestyle is the park that helped me a lot in rollerblading, it’s my only sponsor and the only indoor park in Belgium. So I just try to represent as much as I can!
6. What are your best and worst moments you’ve experienced in rollerblading?
Best moment ever, is when all the old school Belgium riders put their skates back on, I just hope it’ll last.
Worst was when I got 12 staples in my head, rollerblading is cool isn’t it? 😀
7. How do you picture rollerblading 5 years from now?
I hope rollerblading will boom again like before, and that we’ll all still be around to take advantage of it and enjoy the session!
8. Let a side all this rollerblading shiznit, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Like everybody, I love to chill with my friends, have some drinks, the sun, party and good vibes basically!
I’d also like to finish by saying something that means a lot to me. For us in Belgium, rollerblading is a team sport! Think about it, peace and ride! And don’t forget what you are capable off.
See you soon for a session!
