PALEMBANG - Skateboarding will make its Asian Games debut and a potential medal finish rests on the young shoulders of 19-year-old Margielyn Arda Didal. The Cebu native is set to compete in the women's street skateboarding competition the Jakabaring Sport City Skate Park on Tuesday.
According to Skateboard Association of the Philippines Inc. president Monty Mendigoria, Didal has a very good chance of getting the gold with the absence of contenders Isa Kaya and Yososomi Sakakura of Japan.
"With the Japanese out, Margielyn is a very strong prospect for gold in the women's street event," said Mendigoria after the Philippines held practice on Monday.
Tuesday's skateboarding event will serve merely as a classification and ranking round as all nine entries will advance to the finals the next day.
"This will determine who performs first to last, meaning if our girl gets a highest score tomorrow, then she will be the last to perform and gets to see how the rest fare ahead," Mendigoria pointed out.
Dida will bank her experience from the World Xtreme Games in Minneapolis where she finished eighth overall out of 12 entries as well as training at the Skateboard Camp at Camp Woodward in Pennsylvania.
Competing alongside Didal will be Renzo Mak Feliciano and Jeff Gonzales who will participate in the men's division.