From Curiosity to Success: The Beginning of Margielyn Didal’s Journey

If you think that professional skateboarding is only for male participants, Margielyn Didal is living proof that you’re wrong. Not only is Didal a professional skateboarder who started skating from the streets of Cebu, but she is also looking to represent the Philippines in next year’s Olympics and more importantly, end the country’s dry spell for Olympic gold medal.

As Carlo Pamintuan said, “Margielyn Didal will always be known as the person who brought Philippine skateboarding into the mainstream,”

“Tungo Sa Ginto” aired its second episode on Friday with Didal taking the time to have a conversation with Pamintuan. While Didal revealed that the qualifying tournaments have been moved for next year, she also revealed what made her get into skateboarding. “Before, I got curious. When I tried it, I liked it. When I learned to do tricks (in skateboarding), I just continued to learn other tricks When I learn that you can compete and earn money while having fun, I started skating every day, I started competing. I started traveling locally and earned money,” she explained.

According to Skate Pilipinas Coach Daniel Bautista, Didal didn’t even have her own skateboard when he first saw her, and that Didal and her mother were selling street food nearby a skateboard park. “Eventually, she just started hanging out and helping cleaning up the park,” Bautista also shared, “When she got her own skateboard, in a matter of months, she just became better than 80% of everyone there,” In effect, Didal was one of the skateboarders who got into the radar of New Balance Asia through Anthony Clarvall who heard about Didal through Bautista. 

Didal is also the first Filipina skateboarder to be supported by the MVP Sports Foundation that started in 2018 prior to her first international competition in London.

Screenshot is from MVP Sports Foundation Facebook page