ASIAD notes

‘Sorry, Cebu’

HANGZHOU – Filipina skateboarder Margielyn Didal was apologetic after literally crashing out of the women’s street event, which she ruled in the Jakarta Asian Games five years ago. In particular, the jolly 24-year-old Olympian felt sorry for her fellow Cebuanos – the young and eager skateboarders like her. “Sorry Cebu wa gehapon tay skatepark kay wala man ta ka medal,” posted Didal. Translated into Tagalog, Didal’s short message read, “Sorry Cebu wala pa rin tayong skatepark kasi wala akong medal.” Didal, now a household name in her province, had been pushing for the construction of a skatepark in Cebu. She felt that winning a medal in the Hangzhou Asian Games would have given her a stronger voice for the provincial government to hear. But she was far from her best Wednesday. She competed in the finals despite the fact that she has yet to fully recover from a broken ankle sustained in Brazil almost a year ago. She seemed to have gained weight during a long lull but still gave her best. But while her mind was willing, her body was not. She fell to the ground six times in two runs and three tricks, and bowed out eighth and last. The skatepark would have to wait.

Grand Canon

HANGZHOU – In any major international competition like the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games, World Championships, the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics, Canon, the leading brand in digital photography, is always around to help sports photographers stay focused on the job. In this Asian Games, Canon has put up a help desk, a big one, at the Main Media Center to cater to the hundreds of accredited photographers. Matsumoto Hideyuki, senior director at Canon, said they’re here to provide assistance and equipment – on a 24-hour loan basis and for free – to anyone wanting to avail. From R3 and Mark III bodies (close to a hundred of them) to powerful lenses, the wide ones to the long ones (400s), and technical service, you name it, Canon will provide it. A Filipino photographer here had his Canon serviced, and had to wait no more than an hour, when in the Philippines, he said, it might take him a month or two.