Margielyn Didal hopes for more public skateparks in the country

After Pinay skateboarder Margielyn Didal’s historic performance in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she already has her eyes set on getting into the 2024 Paris Olympics. But what if she’s not the only skateboarding delegate in the tournament?

Well, Didal and her team are positive her recent stint in the Tokyo Olympics will shift people’s perspective regarding the sport, and in turn, encourage more investment as well, as per ABS-CBN News Online.

In an Instagram post after her Olympic campaign, Didal talked about her hopes for more good skateparks in the Philippines, “so that I can share how fun skateboarding is.”

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According to her coach Dani Bautista, having more skateparks in the country is just the first step towards sustaining the skateboarding movement, which Didal helped spark with her triumphs in the international stage, including the 2018 Asian Games and 2019 SEA Games. 

“I think we should have public skateparks. That’s definitely something that we need, for skateboards to progress, and for more skateboarders to get into the sport. ” Bautista said in a recent interview. “That’s the way where you can have younger skaters, where parents can be comfortable bringing their kids to a safe place to skate,” he explained.

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Aside from having more public skateparks, Bautista explained that Skate Pilipinas is determined to help the sport grow in the country at the grassroots level as well. This entails holding skateboarding clinics for the youth, and arming them with the equipment they need to start their skateboarding journey. 

“The skate scene is really big,” Didal said. “But now, it’s getting bigger, especially since they included skateboarding in the Olympics. I hope to spread all the good vibes from the Olympics,” she added. “I hope nakita na (I hope they see), especially here in the Philippines, there’s a really big chance in the Olympics.”

Wouldn’t it be awesome if there were Pinoy skateboarders in the Olympics? Well, it’ll take time to discover and hone talents like Didal, so let’s hope the country supports the sport more.

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