Overcoming Pain for Her Beloved Nation

KOMPAS/RAKARYAN SUKARJAPUTRA

Tiara Andini Prastika

Tiara Andini Prastika was not feeling 100 percent when she competed in the 2018 Asian Games. Her right index finger was still in pain after sustaining a fracture during the MTB Asia 2017 championship. When she overworks, the finger has a tendency to swell. However, Tiara continuously tried to suppress all the pain in the 2018 Asian Games downhill race at Khebun Park in Subang, West Java. As a result, she won gold for Indonesia.

“Alhamdulillah [Praise God], I was able to take advantage of the fact that I’m familiar with the track here and remained focus during the race. Compared to in my training sessions, the track’s condition during the finals was far more difficult as the soil was dry and its pieces were everywhere,” said the Semarang-born athlete. Cyclists have to pick their path carefully on the track. “What is difficult is controlling emotions. You need to focus on winning,” Tiara continued.

Tiara’s mental strength had been tested numerous times by her coaches. Despite falling several times and suffering a painful injury in her index finger, Tiara was able to overcome it and let loose during the race, while remaining focused and in control.

KOMPAS/RAKARYAN SUKARJAPUTRA

Tiara Andini Prastika

Tiara introduced herself to downhill racing. Coincidentally, she lived near a cycling arena that held a downhill competition in 2012. Without much preparation, she took part in the competition and finished third. “Now, I feel the challenge of joining elite competitions next year. When I first got into downhill racing, I was trained by the late Pak Diro,” she said.

Since then, Tiara has left behind road race cycling. She said that downhill was more challenging and downhill races were held more often than road races. Tiara later found out that she made the right choice as she blossomed in downhill events. Tiara was the 2017 national elite women champion, winning silver in the 2016 National Games (PON) in West Java.

Despite often falling in her downhill training and races, Tiara said she always got back up. “There are risks in all sports. I feel responsible to give my best as the government has appointed me to represent the nation. I just [mentally] tell myself to overcome all the pain. My parents’ support has a huge role in keeping my spirits up,” she said.

ANTARA FOTO/INASGOC/AJI WISNU NOVIANTO

Tiara Andini Prastika

Hard work

Tiara and her teammates went through grueling training to prepare for this year’s Asian Games. “I wake up at five, exercise, have my breakfast and then I do some cycling until noon. In the afternoon, I exercise some more. The gold is truly worth all the hard work,” said the athlete, a graduate of SMA 7 Semarang state high school.

Tiara dreams of becoming a world-class cyclist and world champion. With the 2018 Asian Games gold, she has achieved one of her dreams – but she still has many more. She can use her bonus as an Asian Games gold medalist to help her go international.

Former national downhill cyclist Risa Suseanty said Tiara and her colleague Nining Purwaningsih were examples of highly persistent women athletes. The fact is that not many female athletes choose to focus on downhill events. The tracks are often extreme, filled with sharp declines and often times without any safety features. Because of this, athletes have to be careful in choosing the right path and finding out how to get through it. Apart from skills, downhill cyclists also require good thinking skills and mental strength.

Tiara’s bravery in choosing to become an athlete in an extreme sport was complemented by Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi’s promise that all Asian Games medalists would be accepted as civil servants. No wonder, then, that Tiara could overcome all her pain and give her all in the downhill race. All of this is for her beloved nation.