TOKYO—Margielyn Didal didn’t make the grade in skateboarding’s debut in Tokyo on Monday, but nevertheless earned a much-needed experience to look forward to a return trip to the Olympics three years from now.
Didal was a surprise package in the eight-athlete finals, fending off three of the world’s best in women’s street at the Ariake Urban Sports Park with a modest performance in the morning qualifiers.
An ankle injury didn’t help Didal much in the finals and scored just 7.52, almost half the tally of 13-year-old Japanese Nishiya Momiji, who won the gold medal with a total score of 15.26.
“This is for the country,” said Didal, the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games and Philippines 2019 Southeast Asian Games champion. “I’m really proud to represent the Philippines.
Didal still had fun the whole day despite hurting her knee and ankle following spills during the preliminaries and the finals.
After a successful landing during her second trick where she completed a nosegrind for a score of 2.97, Didal was limping at the end of the runs after her third trick.
Brazil’s Rayssa Leal, also 13 years old, secured the silver with a 14.64 score. Another Japanese, 16-year-old Nakayama Funa, bagged the bronze with a 14.49 total.
Momiji’s victory allowed Japan to sweep the street gold medals. Yuto Horigome won the men’s gold on Sunday.
“We made it to the finals but we were not able to carry the flag on to the podium,” Skateboard Pilipinas president Carl Sambrano said. “We would like to thank the POC [Philippine Olympic Committee] most especially Congressman [Rep. Abraham] Tolentino for doing everything to get us to our first Olympics.”
“Paris 2024, we’re coming at you!,” Sambrano added.
Didal’s stint was a feat in itself. The 22-year-old Cebuana placed ahead of Pamela Rosa, the 2019 World Skate Championship in Brazil, and 2013 X Games champion Leticia Bufoni.
Skateboarding is one of four sports making their debut in the quadrennial games, along with surfing, sport climbing and karate.
Image courtesy of AP