Manila, Philippines, June 5, 2021: One of the biggest stars of the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia, skateboarder Margielyn Didal of the Philippines, has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.
“It is now official, Margielyn Didal has qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Congratulations!” the Philippine Olympic Committee said in a Facebook post on Saturday, June 5.
“Magic Margie”, who won the women’s street event at the Jakabaring Sports City in Palembang in 2018, booked her place at the ongoing Street Skateboarding World Championships in Rome, Italy, the Skateboarding Association of the Philippines (SAP) announced.
Although Didal finished 17th of 32 riders in the semi-finals to miss out on the top eight for Sunday’s final, her Olympic qualifying ranking points sealed the deal.
The SAP said on Instagram: “The official announcement of qualified skaters will only be released after the World Championships Finals in Rome, but Skate Pilipinas would like to be the first to announce that our very own @margielyndidal has earned a slot for the Tokyo Olympics. Congratulations Margie!”
There will be 20 athletes in each of the four events at Tokyo, including the top 16 in the qualification series from January 1, 2019 to June 29, 2021. Rome is the last qualifying event.
The 22-year-old Cebuana skater's placement will make her the 10th Filipino to compete in the Olympic Games in Tokyo, where skateboarding is making its debut this year.
She will join Asian Games weightlifting champion and Rio 2016 silver medallist Hidilyn Diaz, boxers Eumir Marcial, Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, world champion gymnast Caloy Yulo, Asian pole vault champion EJ Obiena, taekwondo Jin Kurt Barbosa and OCA youth camp rowing graduate Cris Nievarez.