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Powerlifter Ni Nengah Widiasih grabs first medal
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Ni Nengah Widiasih (Twitter/Kemenpora)
I
n a sweet surprise coming from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, powerlifter Ni Nengah Widiasih snatched Indonesia’s first medal on Thursday, early Friday in Jakarta, in the 2016 Paralympic Games.
Ni Nengah lifted 96 kilograms in the women’s -41 kg category to come out as the bronze medalist. The gold medal went to Nazmiye Muratli of Turkey with 104-kg lifted – both a Paralympics and world record, while China’s Cui Zhe won silver.
“It was an amazing performance [by Ni Nengah],” Bayu Rahadian, the team’s chief physician, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
“Ni Nengah pulled out a perfect strategy, which was quite a realistic approach to nail the target,” he added.
Competing in an unlikely 21 degrees Celsius at Riocentro Pavilion 2, Ni Nengah shook off any challenges to record her new personal best.
In her first go, the confident and well-prepared Ni Nengah managed to lift 95 kg, which was two kilograms heavier than her 93 kg mark from the 2015 Southeast Asian Paragames, explained Bayu. Later on, she wrapped up the day with a 96 kg lift, earning her a bronze.
Upon returning home, Ni Nengah will be rewarded a tax-free Rp 1 billion (US$76,205) as well as a Rp 10 million monthly allowance from the government.
