Fourth gold
Margielyn Didal, who hails from Lahug, Cebu City, walked with pride as she carried the Philippine flag during the closing ceremonies of the Asian Games in Indonesia. She is 19 years old, and a high school dropout from the same barangay. Around her neck was the glistening fourth gold medal that the country has garnered during the duration of the whole competition. This by far is the best medal finish of the Philippines in the Asian games.
Despite Didal’s shortcoming as a student, she excelled in her field of extreme sports - one that the city government has been trying hard to tame throughout the years. Skateboarding is dangerous as it exposes the athlete to injury and may trouble motorists along the highway. They need a place to practice and stay, or else they will be forced to create makeshift obstacles along accident-prone areas. Thus came the announcement to fast track the creation of a skate park in the city in one of the lots at the South Road Properties.
I haven’t met Didal or heard her name in other competitions. We never thought skateboarding would be considered a sport in the Asian games, now we think twice about the game itself. My only acquaintance with her was the short wave I gave when she called her mom via Facebook messenger. We were in their house for an interview and Margielyn was on the line. I said hi, wished we could talk to her longer, but she had time constraints and ended the short conversation. Their house was not ideal. It was small, rather like a shanty in the hilly portion of Lahug. She was the fourth out of five siblings, and her parents had to take odd jobs to make ends meet.
With her win and the cash incentives that she will be receiving, their lives will change forever. They will no longer have to travel that downhill slippery slope just to be inside what they call a home. Her parents will no longer have to do backbreaking work even on the weekends; a business will be ready for them. We are happy for her achievement but we also have another wish for her - that she would finish her basic education and even get a degree.
At an early age, she fell in love with the sport leaving behind her studies. Although it opened up to many opportunities, she would make a better example by going back to school. I’ve talked to several of her teachers in the past, and they all also wish the same for her. She wasn’t that good as a student but knew the basics; they would love for her to come back to school.
It will be more than a week before we meet Margielyn in the flesh in Cebu. The city has enough time to prepare how to honor this modern-day hero. If it includes a package for her to finish her schooling, it would be a great welcome home gift.
- Latest
