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The switch that bore fruit for Erni
Erni Sokoy: (JP/Irawaty Wardany)It was a memorable day for Erni Sokoy at the Ngalike Dam, Naypyitaw, Myamar, after the Papuan rower won gold in her maiden race in the womenâs 500-meter kayak event
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Erni Sokoy: (JP/Irawaty Wardany) (JP/Irawaty Wardany)
Erni Sokoy: (JP/Irawaty Wardany)
It was a memorable day for Erni Sokoy at the Ngalike Dam, Naypyitaw, Myamar, after the Papuan rower won gold in her maiden race in the women's 500-meter kayak event.
A decorated dragon-boat rower, Erni was a captain of Indonesia's women's dragon boat team and competed in the 2005 and 2011 South East Asian (SEA) Games, which were held in the Philippines and Indonesia respectively. She brought home silver from the 2011 Games.
It was only this year that Erni switched to the kayak but the decision proved fruitful.
So overwhelmed by her achievement she burst in to tears during the medal presentation ceremony.
Flanked by silver medalist Lee Weiling Geraldine of Singapore and bronze medalist Kanokpon Svanson of Thailand, she told reporters: 'It's all thanks to Jesus.'
She revealed that the gold medal was her belated birthday present as she had turned 26 on Dec. 5, the day she departed for the SEA Games.
Erni is married to her coach and works as civil servant with the Jayapura administration.
'So far I have been able to juggle my schedule as civil servant and an athlete,' she said, adding that her office allowed her to take special leave when she had to focus on training.
Around three months before the Games began she was sent to the national training camp to undergo an intensive training regime.
Not wanting to be away from her family, she brought them with her.
'I rented a house for a month or two and asked my mother to look after my two daughters,' she explained.
Erni's compatriot Spensstuber Mehue, also from Papua, grabbed his very first medal at the Ngalike Dam from the men's 500-meter canoeing event.
It was his first competition since becoming the national team's main rower after a lengthy wait on the reserve bench.
He clocked 1:59,256, surpassing host athlete Win Htike who won silver with 1:59,676 and Thai athlete Rungsawan Suansan, who brought home bronze with 2:1,886.
'I upped my training for the SEA Games over the last 12 months,' said Spensstuber, 23.
Head coach Muhammad Suryadi admitted that Spensstuber had showed a massive improvement, which was why he had let Spensstuber compete.
