After an unsuccessful bid last month, Margielyn Didal will make an effort to get more points to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The 19-year-old Didal said this a month after she joined the first leg of the Street League Skateboarding Championships from Jan. 10 to 13 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Didal placed 14th among 24 participants who saw action in the women’s division of the meet, an Olympic qualifier.
She tallied 20 points at the crowded Carioca Arena and in front of a big audience that witnessed the best tricks put up by the world’s best participants.
“First, gusto kong mag-qualify sa Olympics. Then, mag move forward ako sa 2019 SEA Games,” said Didal after she became one of five Asian Games gold medalists from the Philippines given the highest honor as Athletes of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association during its annual PSA Awards Night at Manila Hotel.
During the Rio meet, the spotlight was on Brazilian Leticia Bufoni, the 2015 Champion and 2nd placer in the last two years.
She was given the highest point at 30.6 and went on to advance to the finals with seven others.
In the finals, it was Aori Nishimura of Japan who took the gold with 32.6 points.
Bufoni settled for the silver with 32.5 points, followed in third by Lacey Baker of the United States with 28.5 points.
In fourth was Mariah Duran, also from the US.
The second leg of the SLS meet will be in May when it is held in London.
“Okay naman ako sa Brazil. Hindi lang ako nakapasok sa Top 8,” said Didal.
