How Filipino skateboarder Margielyn Didal ‘won’ at the Tokyo Olympics without bringing home a medal

August 2, 2021

The Philippines’ Margielyn Didal has won the admiration of international sports fans despite landing in 7th place at the finals of the inaugural women’s street skateboarding event on July 26.

Capturing the Olympic spirit: Didal, 22, exhibited resilience and sportsmanship after sustaining a fall during the opening round of the tricks section at the Ariake Urban Sports Park, reported Rappler.

Didal, who scored a 2.97 in the second trick, kept her smiles throughout her three straight failed attempts in the last three rounds.
After sustaining an apparent ankle sprain in the final round and failing her last try to land a trick, Didal got back up and shouted “Arigatou! (Thank you!)” to the audience.
She then went on to cheer her opponents loudly for the rest of the event.
13-year-olds Momiji Nishiya (Japan) and Rayssa Leal (Brazil) won the competition’s gold and silver medals, respectively, NextShark previously reported. Funa Nakayama (Japan), 16, secured the bronze.
Didal was also the first to hug Leal after the silver medalist performed her last trick attempt.

Winning hearts: Didal, 2018 Asian Games’ first skateboarding women’s street event gold winner, impressed international Olympics fans, particularly from Brazil and Japan, by exhibiting such a cheerful nature during a time of loss in the Tokyo Games.

Apparently grateful for Didal’s support to Leal, Brazil fans have been flocking to the Filipino skateboarder’s Instagram account with comments such as, “Brazil loves you!” and “Go Margielyn!”
“We are already providing the Brazilian nationality for Didal,” a Twitter user commented.
“Big respect to all Filipinos from Japan,” read a now-viral Facebook post from a Japanese vlogger.

(To view the photos, click on the Facebook link below.)

The official Tokyo 2020 Twitter account even highlighted Didal’s positive spirit with a photo of her giving a thumbs-up sign following a fall.

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In a recently uploaded image with skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, Didal exhibited her humor, writing: “This guy asked me to take a photo with him and I let him because he looks like Tony Hawk.”
Hawk retweeted the post last Saturday.

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Featured Image via Getty

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