Rio Waida, Establishing Surfing in Indonesia

The appointment of Rio as the red-and-white flag bearer at the opening of Olympics 2020 at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium was a turning point in surfing’s familiarity to sport lovers in Indonesia.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Rio Waida

Indonesia is known to the surfers of the world as a surfing paradise, with the best waves in the world. However, surfing remains unfamiliar to the Indonesian public. Since the appearance of Indonesia’s top surfer Rio Waida, 22, at Tokyo Olympics 2020, this wave-riding sport has begun to receive attention in Indonesian society.