The Story Of Setiyo Budi Hartono Who 'scraped' Before Winning The ASEAN Gold Medal For The 2022 Para Games

Indonesian long jump athlete Setiyo Budi Hartono won the gold medal for the 2022 ASEAN Para Games. (Photo via ANTARA/Bayu Kuncahyo)

JAKARTA - Setiyo Budi Hartono is one of the Indonesian athletes who won the gold medal for the 2022 ASEAN Para Games. His struggle to make the nation proud in the Southeast Asian championship deserves respect.

There is an extraordinary and ridiculous story behind his success in winning the gold medal in the long jump ASEAN Para Games 2022. One day before the competition, he had a fever.

What attracts attention is the way Setiyo can quickly recover from the illness. Like most Indonesians, he performs the "kerokan" ritual to be fit to compete the next day.

"This is gold from 'the power of scrapings'," said Setiyo with a smile, as reported by Antara.

Setiyo said he had a fever because he had to undergo triple jump first. Although winning gold, it does require extraordinary energy and is prone to injury.

"Usually it's a long jump first and then a triple jump, if here it's behind. This is very influential with preparation," he added.

In terms of jumps, indeed, his score in the 2022 ASEAN Para Games has not been able to sharpen his own record. The recorded jump record is 6.6 meters.

"My Para Games record is 6.85 meters and for the best jump 7.10 meters at the 2018 Asian Games," said Setiyo while showing the scrapings on his back.

Although in a less than prime condition, Setiyo Budi Hartono has proven that what he is doing is a form of professionalism of an athlete. In any condition, the two still try to give their best, especially for the country.

"If I don't host, I will retire. This is a call and it turns out that I can still do it even though it's hard," he said.

While strengthening the Indonesian contingent in the ASEAN Para Games, Setiyo Budi Hartono has collected 14 gold medals and the most gold he won when he participated in the 2015 ASEAN Para Games by winning four gold.