Skater Margielyn Didal, swimmer Kayla Sanchez advance to Asian Games 2023 finals

Two elite Filipino athletes have qualified to the finals of skateboarding and swimming events of the 19th Asian Games on Tuesday in Hangzhou, China.

Olympian Margielyn Didal placed sixth in the qualification round of the women's street skateboarding to advance to the finals, while Filipino-Canadian tanker Kayla Sanchez topped the Heat 2 of women's 100m freestyle after clocking in 54.70 seconds.

Sanchez will compete later today in the finals set at 7:30 p.m. at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Aquatic Sports Arena.

Aside from Sanchez, another Filipina swimmer in Xiandi Chua has qualified to the finals of women's 200m backstroke after placing third in Heat 2 with a time of two minutes and 15.44 seconds.

In other sports, the Philippine women's softball team dominated Thailand, 11-0, to kick off their Asian Games campaign and improve to 1-0 in Group B.

—Bea Micaller/JKC, GMA Integrated News