Masniari Did Not Expect To Present The Women's Swimming Gold Medal After 11 Years Of Waiting

Indonesian swimmer Masriani Wolf (center) celebrates after winning the 50-meter backstroke women's swim at Vietnam 2021 SEA Games

HANOI - Masniari Wolf did not expect to be able to present the first gold medal in Indonesian women's swimming at the SEA Games after waiting 11 years.

Masniari, a swimmer of Indonesian-German descent, contributed gold from the women's 50m backstroke at the 2021 SEA Games in Vietnam after finishing the fastest with a time of 29.21 seconds.

The victory ended the women's swimming gold medal drought at the SEA Games. Indonesia last won gold in women's swimming through Yessy Yosaputra in the 200m backstroke at the 2011 SEA Games in Palembang.

“My mother is Indonesian and I am proud to be able to present gold to Indonesia. I'm really speechless," said Masniari at the Aquatic Sports Palace, National Sports Complex My Dinh, Hanoi, Vietnam, Sunday, May 15 evening.

"I came here to record the best time and give the best performance for the country of Indonesia," she continued, quoted by Antara.

Masniari has never even joined training with the Indonesian swimming national training center (pelatnas) and only trains independently with her club in Germany.

She also met the Indonesian team for the first time at the SEA Games because she chose to go alone with her mother from Germany directly to Vietnam.

The Indonesian swimming team has so far collected one gold, one silver, and six bronze.

Red and White can still add to the coffers of medals for Indonesia until the last day of the competition in swimming, until May 19.