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.