Desak Made is Nervous to Pursue Podium at 2024 Olympics

Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi to pursue the podium at the 2024 Paris Olympics (Instagram/@desamaderita01).

JAKARTA – Indonesian rock climber Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi admitted that she was nervous in pursuing a podium in the women's speed event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The 24-year-old athlete recorded the third best time in the elimination heat and earned a ticket to the quarter-finals which will take place on Wednesday, August 7, 2024.

"The result is still not good. I didn't think too much about the time record. I wanted the podium. I'm a bit nervous, not relieved yet. Before the podium, I wasn't relieved," she said.

Desak started her journey in Paris from the seeding heat on Monday, August 5, 2024. She finished the round from lane A with a time of 6.45 seconds.

Meanwhile, in the elimination round, Desak sharpened her time record to 6.38 seconds when facing the representative from the United States, Piper Kelly, to qualify for the quarter-finals.

"The coach said to be more relaxed. Everyone must be nervous. The main thing is to focus on yourself, show the best time, show the best performance during training," said Desak.

In the quarter-finals, Desak will face Deng Lijuan. This athlete from China finished the elimination in sixth place with a time of 6.40 seconds.

The ticket to the quarter-finals from the women's speed category was not only pocketed by Desak. Rock climbing athlete Rajiah Sallsabillah also got a ticket to that phase.

Rajiah Sallsabillah fell in the elimination when she was up against Leslie Adriana Romero Perez (Spain). However, her time was still the best compared to other athletes in the elimination.