Iwan wants sepaktakraw gold for Indonesia

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)