(NI DENNIS PRINCIPE)

Sa matagal na panahon, kinunsidera bilang “pasaway” ng kalsada ang mga skateboarders na gumagala sa paligid ng Metro Manila at maging sa iba’t-ibang siyudad at bayan sa Pilipinas.

Ngunit sapul nang magwagi si Cebuana skateboarder Margielyn Didal ng gintong medalya sa 2017 Asian Games, unti-unti nang nababago ang paningin sa mga skateboarders ng bansa.

Sa nakaraang Southeast Asian Games na ginanap sa Pilipinas, isa pang skateboarder ang gumawa ng ingay at inaasahan na makatutulong sa pagbibigay ng dagdag respeto sa kanilang sport.

Ang 23-anyos na si Jaime De Lange ay nagwagi ng SEA Games gold sa Downhill skateboarding na ginanap sa Maragondon, Cavite.

Kung pagandahan ng tricks ang laro ni Didal, karera naman pababa ng budok ang sport ni De Lange na sinasabing exciting panoodin dahil sa bilis ng takbo ng mga skateboarders.

Tubong Muntinlupa, si De Lange ang kinukinsidera ngayon bilang mukha ng downhill skateboarding hindi lamang dahil sa pagiging magandang lalaki kungdi dahil na rin sa lehitimong galing nito na nagbigay daan para makapasok ito sa world rankings ng skateboarding.

“He’s really hard to beat. He is the best skater in the Philippines right now,” ayon kay Luzon qualifier top finisher Tomas Romualdez.

Alam ni De Lange na may pagka-delikado ang tingin ng marami sa kanilang sport. Ngunit tiniyak naman nito na sa tamang ensayo at pag-iintindi ng kanilang sport ay maituturing ito na isa sa mga safest sport bukod pa sa pagiging exciting laruin at panoorin.

“There’s definitely a way to go down the hill dangerously and recklessly but there’s also a safe way to do it. Like, for me, I would never go down the hill if I feel it’s not safe,” ani De Lange “Ideally, we skate at closed roads where there are no traffic, absolutely controlled setting and those situations exists and that would be an ideal way for anybody to experience safe skating.”

“But really, it’s as safe as you make it because if you’re aware and smart about it, wear your helmet, extra careful and that’s where you’re going to have fun,” dagdag ni De Lange.

Aminado din naman si De Lange na siya mismo ay nakaranas ng ilang aksidente na nagdulot ng serious injuries sa kaniyang katawan.

Ngunit hindi naman ito sapat para sa kaniya na ikunsidera ang pagtigil sa kaniyang downhill skateboarding career.

“I’ve broken both my ankles. I had one really bad crash when I was travelling in South Korea. I did a front flip and hurt my neck really bad but those things are rare considering I’ve been doing it for almost ten years,” pahayag ni De Lange.

“I have one or two close calls a year and three major injuries throughout my career so it’s a pretty safe record,” dagdag ni De Lange.

Bago ang Downhill skateboarding, sinubukan ni De Lange ang ilang sports tulad ng basketball, soccer, swimming at golf dahil para sa kanyang mga magulang, kailangan na bawat isa sa kanilang magkakapatid ay matuto ng isang sport.

“We were all looking for sports and I tried them all definitely but it was actually my drum teacher who introduced me to longboarding,” ani De Lange “One day he came to our house bringing with him a board and that was it. We stopped playing drum as it eventually became a skate session.”

Gusto man niya ang paglalaro sa team sports tulad ng basketball at soccer, mas magaan ang pakiramdam ni De Lange na maglaro ng individual sport.

“It’s all on you. It’s nobody’s fault but your own. If you win it’s your fault. If you lose, it’s your fault and that’s what I love about individual sports,”pahayag ni De Lange.