Setting Road Map to Achievements

The performance of young athletes at the 2019 SEA Games is like a light at the end of the tunnel of Indonesian achievements at global sporting events. Their talents must be nurtured so they can grow into elite athletes.

KOMPAS/DENTY PIAWAI NASTITIE

Windy Cantika Aisah, a 49-kg class lifter, is in action at the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, the Philippines, Monday (2/12/2019). Windy won gold after lifting a total of 190 kg, consisting of a 86 kg snatch and 104 kg clean and jerk.

MANILA, KOMPAS – The performance of Indonesia’s young athletes at the 2019 SEA Games reaffirms that the country has strong capital in becoming a regional and even world-class powerhouse in sports. The young talents’ performances in the Philippines can be a starting point for creating a road map for national sports achievements, with the Olympics as the ultimate goal.

Weightlifter Windy Cantika Aisah and tennis player Priska Madelyn Nugroho are living proof of athlete regeneration in Indonesia. The two are both still 16 and have special talents in sports. They are disciplined and persistent hard workers with a strong drive for making achievements. They have been trained to compete at the international level.

Windy won gold for Indonesia in the women’s 49-kilogram weightlifting event at her first SEA Games. “I dedicate this medal to my father, who is undergoing [heart] surgery at the RSPAD [Central Army Hospital] in Jakarta today,” Windy said on Monday (2/12/2019) at Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila, the Philippines.

Priska, another athlete who debuted at the SEA Games, reached the semifinals after defeating first seed Peangtarn Plipuech from Thailand 6-1, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.

The young athletes are like rough gems waiting to be polished.

Female downhill cyclist Tiara Andika Prastika also showed tenacity, competing in the final with a broken left pinky. The medical team recommended that she pull out of the race, but Tiara decided to continue. Her determination bore fruit as she won second place with a record time of 3 minutes and 16.9 seconds.

Her silver medal contributed to raising Indonesia’s ranking in the medal tally to fourth with six golds, 11 silvers and 12 bronzes.

The young athletes are like rough gems waiting to be polished. They must not stop at the Southeast Asian level, and be encouraged to enter the elite competitions at the Asian and even global levels. The next SEA Games must be a platform for their juniors in the pyramid of sports achievement and development.

Indonesian weightlifting coach Muhammad Rusli said that a long road lay ahead for these young athletes in reaching the world stage. Special training was required to ensure sustainability.

KOMPAS/DENTY PIAWAI NASTITIE

Windy Cantika Aisah, a 49-kg class lifter, smiles after receiving the gold medal at the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Philippines, Monday (2/12/2019). Windy won gold after lifting a total of 190 kg, consisting of a 86 kg snatch and 104 kg clean and jerk.

Regeneration

The emergence of these young athletes is inseparable from the Youth and Sports Ministry’s effort to use the 2019 SEA Games as a means of regeneration by pushing sports associations to send more junior athletes, up to 50-60 percent of the total contingent.

“At first, this seemed to be a gamble. More than a few sports associations complained. Besides, we often doubt our own junior athletes. However, their performance in the Philippines brushed aside all doubt. We, the Youth and Sports Ministry, are satisfied with their achievements thus far,” said Youth and Sports Ministry secretary Gatot S. Dewa Broto in Jakarta.

Gatot said that he hoped efforts to cultivate future national athletes would be continued at international single-sport events. “There are so many single-sport events that can be used as follow-up. Waiting for the next SEA Games [in 2021] would be too long,” he stressed.

The Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) has been trying to cultivate its junior athletes at international tournaments. The association sent three debut athletes to the 2019 SEA Games: Priska, M Rifqi Fitriadi and Ari Fahrezi. On Monday, Rifqi lost 1-6, 1-6 to Vietnam’s Hoang Nam Ly, while, Ari’s SEA Games journey ended on Sunday.

At first, this seemed to be a gamble. More than a few sports associations complained.

“For Priska, we have prepared a special program, as she is a potential athlete with plenty of achievements. The special program provides tournament support. We will speak with Priska and her coach about which tournaments we will support Priska for, as she is [now] entering the senior level,” said Pelti chair Rildo Ananda Anwar.

Priska is one athlete who has trained for various international events. The competitive environment at such events has enabled the Surabaya-based athlete to learn how to overcome pressure during competition and to hone her technique.

This year, Priska has played in 16 tournaments in the junior women’s singles category, including four Grand Slam events – the top-level tennis competition in: the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. She made it through to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Priska said that she felt no pressure at the SEA Games, as she was a non-seeded player. However, she still gave her best. “Defeating the first seed is how I proved [my best],” she said.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Tennis player Priska Madelyn Nugroho kisses the Red and White flag during an Indonesian Tennis Association (PB Pelti) event for the deployment of the Indonesian national tennis team for the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at the Sultan Hotel Tennis Court, Jakarta, Friday (22/11/2019). PB Pelti sent nine national players to the Games in the Philippines. The nine players are Jessy Rompies, Aldila Sutjiadi, Beatrice Gumulya, Priska Madelyn Nugroho, Christopher Rungkat, Ari Fahresi, Muhammad Rifqi Fitriadi, Davis Agung Susanto and Anthony Susanto.

Olympic target

For Windy, the SEA Games were a stepping-stone towards her ultimate goal of competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She said that she did not want to become complacent from winning her SEA Games gold. “After this, I need to focus on my preparations [for] the Olympics. What is clear is that my preparation and training need to be better. I must rest better and I have to follow my coach’s instructions,” she said.

In the Philippines on Monday, Windy lifted a total of 190 kg (86 kg snatch; 104 kg clean and jerk) to defeat Myanmar’s Phyo Pyae Pyae (180 kg total lift) to clinch the gold, while Vietnam’s Ngo Thi Quyen won bronze with a total lift of 172 kg.

Windy’s total lift was just 2 kg less than Sri Wahyuni Agustiani’s 192 kg total lift (85 kg snatch; 107 kg clean and jerk) at the 2016 Olympics, where she won silver in the women’s individual 48 kg.

Windy also made new youth lifting records at the SEA Games, lifting 86 kg in the snatch and 104 kg in the clean and jerk to defeat the previous records of 84 kg and 102 kg, respectively.

KOMPAS/ADRIAN FAJRIANSYAH

Indonesia’s 22-year-old fighter Dino Bima Sulistianto wins bronze at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in individual martial arts at the Subic Exhibition and Convention Center, Subic, the Philippines, Monday (2/12/2019). Dino said the referee\'s decision was not fair and believed that he could actually win gold. However, he still tried to be grateful for the bronze medal. The SEA Games is the first international event of its kind in his career.

Her achievements have increased her chances of competing at Tokyo 2020, as they meet the Olympic qualifications. Many are hoping that Windy will follow in Sri Wahyuni’s footsteps to the global sports event.

Windy currently ranks 12th under the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), and it is hoped she will rise in just six months to rank among the top 8, which is a requirement to play at Tokyo 2020.

The daughter of Siti Aisah, who won silver in the clean and jerk at the 1988 Women’s World Weightlifting Championships in Indonesia, Windy has matured as an athlete through her participation in international events and learned how to overcome her stage fright.

“I have become used to facing life’s challenges. When I was just four, my mother got cancer and I accompanied her at the hospital. My father also has heart disease and must undergo surgery today. So, I am used to facing life’s challenges,” she said. (IYA/JON/DEN)