ndonesia has found a rising new star in young lifter Windy Cantika Aisah as she takes up the baton for Indonesian female weightlifting from Olympian Sri Wahyuni in the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo next year.
Sri, a 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist, took maternity leave earlier this year from the national training camp for Tokyo.
As one of the hopefuls, Sri’s departure left a void in the Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association (PABBSI), until Windy stepped up and showed her potential by snatching a silver medal in the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Junior Championships in the women’s 49-kilogram category in Fiji in June.
Working her way up to qualify for Tokyo, the 17-year-old said she does not feel the pressure at all.
“I don’t feel the pressure. I am now 17 and still compete in the junior category. [I realize] when I compete in the senior level my opponents will have all the advantages as they excel in terms of mentality and experience compared with me, who has just started,” Windy said on Tuesday.
“I have to set my mind to be more ready, physically and mentally, when competing at senior level,” added the daughter of former national female lifter Siti Aisah.
Indonesian favorite Sri had been the mainstay in the women’s 49 kg. She grabbed the 2016 Olympic medal along with another favorite Eko Yuli Irawan in the men’s division. In the 2018 Asian Games at home, 25-year-old Sri won her second Asiad silver after her first in Incheon in 2014.
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