Gymnast Rifda Hopes To Make History At The 2024 Paris Olympics

Indonesian gymnast Rifda Irfanaluthfi is preparing to train the graded bar number at the Raden Inten Gymnastics Sports Hall, East Jakarta, Monday (22/4/2024). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Gymnast Rifda Irfanaluthfi said he wanted to make history for Indonesia at the 2024 Paris Olympics, which will be held in July.

"I want to show the world that Indonesian gymnasts are there (can compete on the highest stage)," said Rifda, quoted from the official Olympic website, Monday, June 17.

The reallocation of the host country made Rifda get a place at the 2024 Paris Olympics after appearing at the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Gymnastics (Artictic Gymnastics) Championship in Antwerp, Belgium.

For his success, Rifda also made history as the first Indonesian gymnast to appear in the Olympics.

The National Olympic Committee (NOC) has exclusive powers to represent their respective countries at the Olympics; Participation of athletes at the Paris Olympics relies on the NOC choosing them to represent its delegation to Paris 2024.

However, Rifda admits that her journey and waiting to qualify for the Olympics is quite windy.

In October 2023, he suffered a knee injury during the Artistic Gymnastics World Championship in Belgium. The injury also made him have to undergo good recovery, until he was finally confirmed to have qualified for Paris.

I kept asking my managers, my coaches, and my friends. I sent messages to them one by one to ask, 'Did I qualify (to qualify)?'," said Rifda.

"At that time I cried while hugging my coach. My coach told me that in the end our struggle in 2015 became a reality," he added.

Furthermore, Rifda said that the success of being the first Indonesian female gymnast to compete in the Olympics did not only mean to herself, but she hopes that this can also motivate other young athletes from various sports.

"This is not for myself. I want to motivate all parties, especially young athletes, not only in artistic gymnastics, but also in other sports that have never qualified for the Olympics," said Rifda.

"I want to tell them if I can do it, you can too," he added.