Margielyn Didal is hoping to earn precious points and improve her world ranking as she vies for a Paris Olympics spot this year.

After falling and hobbling in her title defense in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in September last year, the 24-year-old skateboarding star is set to compete in a World Skateboarding Tournament (WST) and two Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS) to improve her rankings which could determine her place at the Paris Games. 

Didal, who jumped to a career-high ranking of No. 14 by the World Skate (WS) in 2020 ahead of her debut at the Olympiad in the pandemic delayed Tokyo Games and where skateboarding made its inception, fell to No. 43 following her injury in the past year. 

The Cebuano suffered a dislocated left ankle which she had to get surgery for, thus affecting her then lined up competitions including the Asiad that saw her finish dead last in a pool of eight finalists. 

Though her path to the Paris Games appeared to be secured with her current ranking, Didal wants to bag points and make sure she won’t be pushed further down the list.

Didal is kicking off the year competing in the inaugural and WS-recognized Southeast Asian Skateboarding Competition on Feb. 4-5 held at the newly built Baler Skate Park in Aurora – the biggest skate park in the Philippines, where she became one of the consultants during its construction. 

“I’m still in the pack, 43 out of the Top 44. If I just get bumped to a better ranking then it will be easy, if I make it then it will be easier to go to the next round,” Didal said. 

Against an expanded pool of participants at 88, eight more in total than in Tokyo, Didal will first participate in the WST park and street in Dubai, UAE on Feb. 25 to March 10 before heading to the first of two OQS in Shanghai, China from May 14 to 19 and finally in Budapest, Hungary on June 18 to 23. A month before the Paris Games begins.

There, only 22 athletes per event will vie for gold in the men’s and women’s street, and men’s and women’s park events. 

“Kailangan lang makapasok first of all sa Dubai since coming off injury medyo malayo layo ‘yung nabagsakan,” Didal said. 

“[But I’m] getting better for sure. The bone healed super good. May mga pain lang na random, it’s not just fractured, it was really dislocated. May mga tinatamaan na ugat na kahit okay ‘yung paa may times na mahirap maglakad at mag-skate [and be] eighty or one hundred percent. So I’m still [short of] my maximum performance. Minsan thirty kasi depende rin sa paa ko,” she detailed. 

Though mostly recovered and fully determined, Didal also had to mentally prepare herself for the grueling path ahead to the biggest sporting showpiece. 

“We can’t really avoid injuries especially in this extreme sport such as skateboarding. I don’t really think about it [often] anymore after a year. Though may times lang na nago-overthink. Nagdadalawang isip. Pero once nag-skate na ulit tuluy tuloy lang parang nawawala naman. As long as wala lang pressure. Just skating on my own way.”

While Didal is intent on doing her best to qualify for the Games this year and reclaim her place at the top, she has decided to relieve herself of the pressure that comes with representing the Philippines in the world stage. 

“Been to the Olympics before. A lot of struggles din. Pero para sa akin, whatever the results will be in Dubai, life will still go on. I will still continue to skate. Pag wala ng next Olympic or meron man, I will still contribute to the skate community kung ano man ‘yung [kaya ko].”