The Struggle of a World Champion

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Leani Ratri Oktila atlet Para Badminton

Badminton athlete Leani Ratri Oktila, who plays in three categories, won two gold medals and one silver at the Para Badminton World Championships, in Basel, Switzerland, 20-25 August 2019. Commitment, consistency and persistence became the keys to her success.

"I never get tired of training. I am sure this hard training will not be in vain," said Ratri, in Surakarta, Thursday (19/9/2019).

Ratri has been playing badminton since she was 7 years old. In 2011 or when he was 20 years old, she got in a motorcycle accident that resulted in a broken leg. The unfortunate event made her legs uneven by 7 centimeters .

Ratri had lost balance and her speed slowed. When walking, Ratri often stumbles or falls. At first, she was not bothered by her physical condition. She also doesn\'t feel pain. Ratri began to rethink her dream of becoming a professional badminton player.

"In 2012 there was a National Paralympic Games in Riau. I participated and got one gold and one silver medal. I played in mixed singles and doubles, paired with an athlete I just met, Bassar. That\'s where I began to feel I still had hope playing badminton," said the player from Pekanbaru, Riau.

My family says they miss seeing me compete on the court. My family\'s support motivated me to become a disabled athlete.

The success of Ratri in the National Paralympics Games attracted the interest of the National Paralympic Committee (NPC). After turning down the offer several times because she felt inferior, Ratri went to the badminton training center in Surakarta, Central Java. "My family says they miss seeing me compete on the court. My family\'s support motivated me to become a disabled athlete," he said.

When she first joined the training center for the National Paralympic athletes, Ratri still walked with the help of a cane. Over time, she gained confidence to walk without one. "Doctors wondered why I was able to run on the badminton court. Other people with a condition like me might have difficulty walking," she said.

In Basel, Ratri played in three categories, namely women\'s singles (WS-SL 4), mixed doubles (XD SL 3-SU 5) paired with Hary Susanto, and women\'s doubles (WD SL 3- SU 5) played with Khalimatus Sadiyah Sukohandoko. In the disabled championship, the athletes play according to their physical condition classification. Ratri is an SL 4 athlete or has limited balance on one leg.

Ratri won gold in women\'s singles after beating Hefang Cheng (China), 21-16, 21-16. Furthermore, Ratri/Hary Susanto won gold after defeating Jan-Niklas Pott/Katrin Seibert (Germany), 19-21, 21-14, 21-19. In the women\'s doubles, Ratri, paired with Khalimatus, had to settle for a silver after losing to the Chinese pair Cheng/Hui- hui Ma, 17-21, 12-21.

According to Ratri, playing in three categories in a championship requires endurance and stamina and the ability to recover quickly. To support her performance, in addition to technical training, Ratri improved her body with the discipline of extra physical training outside the main training. Normally, she gets up earlier than her colleagues to practice running for 30 minutes.

To practice speed and balance, Ratri invited her three younger siblings, Usi, 18; Awit, 19, and Riska, 20, who are non-disabled badminton players, to train together in Surakarta. Her three younger siblings became sparring partners for Ratri at national training.

The hard training really supports her performance in the championship, because she can play more than five times a day. The break in each game is only 20-40 minutes. Sometimes it is enough only to change clothes.

I was sure to win. But, being too sure and seeing a lot of spectators, I felt it was hard walking to the [badminton] court. Finally, my performance was not optimal.

Ratri said the biggest challenge in the championship was mental. She had felt it when competing in the 2018 Asian Games. "I was sure to win. But, being too sure and seeing a lot of spectators, I felt it was hard walking to the [badminton] court. Finally, my performance was not optimal," she said.

For her achievements, the Youth and Sports Ministry awarded Ratri Rp 586 million, consisting of Rp 250 million for her success in winning the women\'s singles gold medal, Rp 240 million for mixed doubles gold and Rp 96 million for women\'s doubles. This achievement bonus is obtained only a year after getting two gold and one silver performance bonuses at the 2018 Asian Para Games.

Now, besides practicing, Ratri is also a master’s degree student of Indonesian Literature at Bangun Nusantara Veterans University, Sukoharjo. Every day, she divides time between practice and college.

Her biggest dream now is to win the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medal. Ratri is training hard and struggling to realize that goal. Good luck, Ratri!

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

Leani Ratri Oktavia

Leani Ratri Oktila

Born: Bangkinang, 6 May 1991

Disability classification: SL4 (leg balance)

Award:

- BWF Para Badminton Female Player of the Year 2018

- Best Women’s Doubles player (with Khalimatus Sadiyah Sukohandoko), Indonesian Sports Awards 2018

Achievement:

- Three gold medals at ASEAN Para Games 2015

- Three gold medals at ASEAN Para Games 2017

- Two gold medals and one silver at ASIAN Games 2018

- One gold, one silver and one bronze at ASIAN Games 2014

- Two gold medals, one silver at World Championship 2019

- One gold medal, one silver, one bronze at World Championship 2017