Iwan wants sepaktakraw gold for Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): A gold medal in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games has been sepaktakraw player Rasiwan's dream since his debut in the event in 1995.

Rasiwan, nicknamed Iwan, was born on Jan. 27, 1971, in a small village in Banyumas, Central Java. He started his career in village club and competed in village tournaments.

"I used to compete in an inter-village tournament, which offers a goat as the grand prize and a rooster for the runner-up. We used to call it the 'Kambing (goat) Cup'. Until today, I have collected seven goats," he said with a laugh.

Iwan also studied sepaktakraw at Sports Teacher School (SGO). After he was admitted to the School of Sports and Health Training (FPOK) in 1991, he sharpened his skills in the traditional sport.

"I never dreamed of being an athlete. It must be God who has made my way like this," he said.

"It's not easy to learn sepaktakraw. Someone needs talent, high concentration and flexibility," he told The Jakarta Post last week.

He said a player must have good timing to somersault while kicking the ball over the 1.55-meter-high net, aiming it in the right direction and returning to his position.

It must be executed perfectly; failure to execute a perfect somersault can lead to injury.

"I fell and injured my shoulder when I tried to somersault for the first time," Iwan said. He added that village children usually practice by aiming for leaves on trees.

SEA Games team coach Andi Ali Saladin complimented Iwan's agility.

"Iwan always does the somersault smoothly as if he is a cat which always lands on its four feet," said the coach, who accompanied Iwan during the interview.

Iwan wants to popularize the sport among young people as part of his talent-scouting process. He is grooming youths at his club in Purworkerto, Central Java, where he works for the local logistics agency (Dolog).

Two of his athletes -- one of them in junior high school and the other in senior high school -- are ready to join the provincial training center in Semarang to improve their skills.

Speaking on his career in the national team, Iwan said he was willing to keep on playing.

"I will keep on fighting for this country as long as it needs me," said the bachelor. (ivy)