Gymnast champ keeps the faith for success<\/p>\n
By Ivy Susanti<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Young, good-looking and talented, Jonathan
\nMangiring Sianturi had the world at his feet yesterday.<\/p>\n
The top Indonesian gymnast had just won five of the seven
\nindividual events in the Games.<\/p>\n
Expecting a superhero with an ego to match? Think again.<\/p>\n
Jonathan is disarmingly low-key, a man who prefers to talk
\nabout his devotion to God instead of his personal success.<\/p>\n
\"In the beginning, I just wanted to be number one gymnast,\" he
\ntold The Jakarta Post. \"But in 1991, I began to understand that
\nthe chance to be a gymnast and to be a champion were part of
\nGod's plan.<\/p>\n
\"Now I want everybody to acknowledge God through His work in
\nme.\"<\/p>\n
Born in Medan, North Sumatra, Jonathan is the fifth son of
\nformer wrestler O. Sianturi and Samaria Simamora. He started
\ngymnastics training at the age of eight in 1979.<\/p>\n
He made his SEA Games debut in Bangkok in 1985, winning a
\nsilver in the team competition and a bronze in the individual.<\/p>\n
Except for his absence from the 1991 Games due to an ankle
\ninjury, he has won medals at every Games since Bangkok.<\/p>\n
Plagued by a nagging shoulder injury, Jonathan was an unknown
\nquantity before these Games. He put all doubts to rest with
\nbrilliant performances throughout the week.<\/p>\n
\"I always try my very best. If God wants me to win, I'll win,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
A Pentecostal, he said he did not concern himself about the
\nfuture as it was all in God's hands.<\/p>\n
\"God's blessings are always given to me. For the future, let's
\njust wait and see,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Jonathan plans to retire before age 30, but he still has some
\ngoals to achieve.<\/p>\n
\"I want to do more. I would love to compete in the Olympics.\"<\/p>\n
He has been the backbone of Indonesian gymnastics for so long
\nthat some observers wonder who will replace him.<\/p>\n
\"Because God has given me the chance to win many competitions,
\npeople always see the same face -- mine. They think gymnastics is
\nnot developing, when actually it has really advanced.\"<\/p>\n
Still, he concedes the nation has yet to produce a world-class
\ngymnast.<\/p>\n
A major part of the problem, he said, was the dearth of
\nfacilities. The Senayan training center in Jakarta is the only
\none in the country.<\/p>\n
Training centers were needed in all provinces to encourage
\nchildren to take up the sport, he said.<\/p>\n
Lack of qualified coaches is another obstacle to the sport's
\ndevelopment.<\/p>\n
\"Currently, we have to hire coaches from Russia to train us,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Nurturing the young Jonathans of the future is prominent on
\nhis agenda. He said he would likely take up coaching after he
\nsays goodbye to the competition arena for good.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gymnast-champ-keeps-the-faith-for-success-1447893297",
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