Margielyn Didal enters women's skateboarding final

Margielyn Didal is heading to the medal round. Red Bull (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—Margielyn Didal booked a place in the championship round of the Tokyo Olympics women's street skateboarding event after making the Top 8 in the qualifying phase on Monday at the Ariake Skateboarding Park in the Japanese capital.

Didal, ranked 17th in the world prior to the tournament, finished seventh out of 20 participants after the first round, even beating three skateboarders ranked above her.

She tallied 12.02 points after adding the scores in her four best performances, good for third place in Heat 2 behind topnotcher Zoos Zweltsloot of the Netherlands (13.48) and second placer Aori Nishimura of host country Japan (12.82).

Their scores alone were better than the entire final scores of the Heat 1 participants, but an anxious wait ensued when the top medal contenders swung into action in Heats 3 and 4.

Didal eventually fell to fifth after the third heat when Japan's Funa Nakayama (15.77 points) and Momiji Nishiya (15.4) topped Heat 3 en route to taking the top two seeds in the final.

World number two Layssa Real of Brazil won Heat 4 with 14.91 points, good for third overall, while 21st ranked Zeng Wenhui of China moved past Didal in the prelim rankings with 12.31.

Didal finally clinched a spot in the medal round when world number four Leticia Bufoni of Brazil had a crucial fall in Trick 4 and only finished with 10.91 points, good for ninth place.

American skateboarder Alexis Sablone took the last spot in the final with 11.77 points despite failing to complete her last trick.

World number one Pamela Rosa of Brazil had a string of three failed tricks and finished 10th with 10.06.

The final is scheduled at 11:25 a.m. Philippine Time.

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