20 heads
20 heads note, in 2nd story hijab should be italicized and Moslem sp. Muslim, thanks
1. LISA -- (1 x 30)
Lisa Rumbewas reveals silver lining Nethy Dharma Somba The Jakarta Post/Papua
Entering the Athens Games against the backdrop of her silver victory in Sydney four years ago, Indonesia's weightlifter Lisa Rumbewas had been tipped to repeat the feat.
And the Indonesian weightlifter rewarded her supporters by winning a silver in Athens.
Competing in the 53-kilogram category, Lisa hoisted a total of 210 kilograms to finish second behind gold medalist Udomporn Polsak of Thailand.
With her silver in the 48-kilogram in Sydney, Lisa's feat touches hearts given that the 24-year-old has suffered from epilepsy since she was a child.
She had her first epilepsy fit when she was five year old as a result of high fever she experienced when she was only three months old. She has had to undergo medical treatment ever since.
But her father Levi Rumbewas sees his daughter's ailment from a different perspective.
"Lisa's ailment is not something to be afraid of nor to be regretted because it is a part of God's plan," former national bodybuilder Levi said in an interview with The Jakarta Post recently.
Given her condition, Lisa has received more attention from both her parents, particularly from her mother Ida Korwa, who has to accompany her wherever she goes because Lisa often has an unexpected seizure.
"Only her mother can understand Lisa's illness and know how to handle the situation when she's having an epileptic fit," Levi explained.
"Lisa's condition began to improve after she received medication from St. Carolus Hospital in Jakarta. However, the medication must be taken continuously.
"The medication has proven useful as the seizures have stopped, although it cannot completely eliminate the problem," Levi said.
Lisa's dependence on her mother seems not negotiable. Herself a former weightlifter, Ida has proven to be Lisa's best partner in training.
Days before the Indonesian contingent's departure for Athens, Lisa fled the training camp in protest that Ida was not in the travel list.
She threatened to pull out of the team until her demand for her mother to be sent along with her was fulfilled.
Lisa was born in Jayapura, the capital city of Papua province, on Sept. 10, 1980 as the fourth of five children.
Her interest in the sport grew from accompanying her mother during workouts.
She decided to take up the sport and began training with her mother as her private coach.
Her first appearance in a competition was in Semarang, Central Java, when she represented her province. She was only 12.
After winning the international youth weightlifting contest in Jakarta in 1997, she was admitted to the national training center for the eastern Indonesia region in South Kalimantan.
In the same year, head of the South Kalimantan chapter of the Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association (PABBSI) Dharma Surya noticed Lisa's talent in weightlifting and recruited her as a South Kalimantan lifter.
Three years after winning a silver medal in the Olympic games in Sydney in 2000, Lisa switched allegiance back to Papua.
The Papuans must be proud that the athlete the province has raised accomplished a rare feat with her second Olympic silver from Athens.
In her father's view, Lisa's success is due to her obedience and has been able to help her siblings.
"We don't make much money as civil servants and it's Lisa who has helped pay for her siblings education," Levi, who has now retired from his job at the government's Information and Communication Office in Papua.
Two of Lisa's older siblings have attended university in Jakarta while her two other siblings are still studying at a university also in Jakarta, all at Lisa's expense.
Lisa does not forget that whatever she achieves is God's blessings, a faith she demonstrated in her donation of Rp 25 million (US$2,777) to a church near her home in Jayapura.
To ensure that she earns a monthly income when she retires from weightlifting, Lisa has started various businesses in her hometown in Jayapura, one being a telecommunication kiosk named "Wartel Lisa"; the booths decorated with her pictures.
While her kiosk's business may give her dividends in the long run, Lisa may be due to receive a dividend in the form of cash bonuses from the national sports authority as well as other sport-committed parties from her Athens performance.
2. HIJAB -- ( 2 x 21)
Rakia Al Gassra's 'hijab' makes her star of race Sebastian Fest Deutche Presse-Agentur/ Athens
Clocking 11.49 seconds -- a whole second less than the world record - in the women's 100m at the Olympic Games would normally mean zero attention from the press.
But that was not the case for Bahraini sprinter Rakia Al Gassra, who after running Friday momentarily became the most sought after athlete by reporters and cameramen in Athens. The reason: the hijab - traditional Moslem garb for women - which she wore during the race.
"I am very happy with my time", said Al Gassra, gold medallist at the Arab Games. She had reason to be, having just broken the Bahrain national record, and although eliminated in her heat, she came fifth out of eight competitors.
But few reporters were interested in her time, what they really wanted was to hear the 21-year-old speak about her hijab. Al Gassra, who is presented by the Bahraini Olympic Committee as "a very conservative Arab woman" wore a white hijab which covered her entire body showing only her face, which always sported a smile.
"It is the basis of Islam, an Arab-Islamic tradition," she said. "I cannot run without the hijab, I have to do everything with it. In the Islamic religion men are not authorized to see women without the hijab," she added.
But how many valuable microseconds are lost by running with such a cumbersome outfit, which is not aerodynamic at all? "No, there is no problem", she insisted. Al Gassra began competing four years ago when she was discovered by the Bahraini Olympic Committee talent hunting programme launched after the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Two women from Bahrain took part in Sydney invited by the International Olympic Committee. This time round athletes qualified directly.
Although she may say the hijab makes no difference to her performance, Bahraini sports officials are looking into alternatives.
"Without a doubt she would make better time with other gear," said Anne Radic, press chief of the Bahraini Olympic committee. She added that Bahraini officials met Thursday with Nike representatives who showed them a "swift suit" they thought might meet the needs of Al Gassra.
Australian runner Cathy Freeman wore a swift suit when she won the gold in the women's 400m in Sydney 2000. The swift suit the sports manufacturer presented for Al Gassra has problems. Radic said holes on the back and legs revealed skin, which would not be acceptable to the sprinter. The spokeswoman said they expected Nike to present a new design in September and talks continued.
That a swift suit is body-hugging is another stumbling block. "It is a difficult subject. Rakia will always discuss everything with her family to make sure they are comfortable with what she does," Radic said.
Al Gassra comes from a deeply religious family and Bahraini sports authorities had to use all their skills of persuasion to convince them to allow her to become an athlete.
At Athens she is staying at a women-only apartment, separated from the men in the Bahraini delegation. She prays during the day, is always covered head to foot, and reads the Koran before going to bed.
Two other Bahraini women athletes taking part in the Athens Games, a marathon runner and a swimmer, do not wear the hijab. Al Gassra claims she does not feel diminished or discriminated against by wearing the traditional attire. "Women and men are the same in sports in Bahrain," she said, "there are no differences".
She grins and nods when asked whether she is faster than many male sprinters in Bahrain and uses the opportunity to make a plea.
"There should be many more women athletes from Arab countries. What we have now is not enough," she said. Had she not worn a hijab, Al Gassra's message might not have reached as many as it has today.