When a Mother\'s Instinct is Called to the Competition Arena

PON Papua describes sports as not just about winning or losing. In the event, the story of a mother\'s love for her child radiates, transcending distance and time.

KOMPAS/KELVIN HIANUSA

Yulies Andriana (53), mother of DKI Jakarta gymnast Rifda Irfanaluthfi, who came to Papua to see her daughter compete. Yulies wore a mask made from Rifda\'s used gymnastics costume.

Yulies Andriana, the mother of Indonesia\'s “Queen of Gymnastics” Rifda Irfanaluthfi, came to Papua alone to give support to her daughter. She did not care about the thousands of kilometers distance, as long as she could see her daughter compete. The support bore fruit in the form of a gold medal.

In the lyrics of the song “Kasih Ibu”, the love of a mother is said to be immeasurable till the end of time. At the Papua National Games (PON), the love does not only go beyond time, but also distance. The instincts of the mothers of athletes have echoed in the arena.