Karisma may use her bonus on future university fees while Zohri will use his bonus to open a business.
ll the hard training paid off when two Indonesian runners, Lalu Muhammad Zohri, 19, and para-athlete Karisma Evi Tiarani, 18, were awarded cash bonuses by the Indonesia Athletics Federation (PASI).
Karisma, who competed in the 100-meter women's race in the T63 (athlete with single through knee or above knee limb deficiency competing with a prosthesis) category, was awarded a Rp 100 million bonus after recently breaking a world record at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai. Karisma booked 14.72 seconds.
Zohri, who competed at the World Athletics Championships, also in Dubai, broke the Southeast Asian record, being the second-fastest man in the semifinal by booking 10.15 seconds, passing compatriot Suryo Agung, who was previously dubbed the fastest man in the region after booking 10.17 seconds. Zohri received a Rp 360 million bonus.
“I never thought I would reach this point, breaking the world record, with seniors as opponents. I am very grateful. I don’t know what I'll do with the money, except save it for a rainy day,” Karisma told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Karisma said she was considering continuing her studies to obtain an undergraduate degree at a university in Surakarta, Central Java, next year.
Zohri said he would use the money to open a business.
“We can’t thank Pak Muhammad Hasan enough as he is the one who struggled to provide us with these cash rewards,” Zohri said, referring to PASI chief Muhammad "Bob" Hasan.
Hasan previously told the Post that cash bonuses were intended to keep athletes motivated so that they could reach higher levels in their sport.
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