There Is No Special Ritual, Donuts And Milk Are 'key' Alisya Mellynar Wins Papuan PON Gold

Alisya Mellynar (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Alisya Mellynar performed beyond the expectations of the coach and colleagues of the East Java wushu team after the taiji jian and taiji quan movements demonstrated by the 19-year-old virgin received the highest appreciation from the jury in the combined taolu number PON XX Papua.

On the first day of the Papua PON XX wushu match, Wednesday, Alisya finished at the top with a score of 9.67 for the sword taiji number before again collecting the highest score of 9.68 in the empty-handed taiji number to win a second gold medal for East Java in Wushu.

The newcomer to the wushu national training admitted that he wasn't sure he could participate in the four-yearly national sporting event, but the first golden opportunity surprised Alisya.

"This is beyond expectations ... there is no target from the coach, so this is a surprise, because I myself also did not set a target," Alisya said, as reported by Antara, Thursday.

East Java team wushu coach Sherly Hoediono from the start did not target Alisya to win a medal. However, the one gold presented by the newcomer to the national training opened an opportunity for East Java to exceed the target of five wushu gold medals at the XX Papua PON.

With taiji moves and a steady landing, the athlete who was born on October 25, 2001 admitted that there was no special ritual or special meal before executing his movements in today's final event.

"Just donuts, that's all, with milk," said Alisya about the breakfast menu.

Alisya completed today's East Java celebration after Bobie Valentinus Gunawan opened the faucet for his team's medal in the early match. Bobie scored the highest score in the men's taiji quan/taiji jian numbers to win the first gold in East Java wushu, while at the same time chasing DKI Jakarta which swept two gold medals on the first day through Edgar Xavier Marvelo and Nandira Mauriskha in the men's and women's chang quan numbers.

Alisya's task in her first PON has been completed. The athlete who has been called to the national training since 2020 will focus on the next SEA Games and Asian Games.

Who would have thought that from participating in wushu in 2011, Alisya plunged into the world of martial arts from China to become one of Indonesia's young talents.

Since then he has felt at home because of the feeling of togetherness among his fellow practitioners.

"In this wushu I feel like I have a new family and learn many things," said Alisya.

"Maybe I'd say we'll be able to learn other things that we can't get outside.

"We also learn how to be a person," said Alisya, remembering the advice of one of her coaches, which the East Java team brought from China.

"This coach from China has very good principles: you don't have to be great people, just how we become good people. Every day we are taught indirectly, how to be good people," he concluded.