Indonesia
Young Talented Archer Della Handayani
Archery may not be the most popular sport in Indonesia these days. It didn’t have fans as many as swimming, basketball, badminton, let alone soccer. Della Adisty Handayani was born from an Indonesian celebrated archer, Lilies Handayani (Indonesian first female archer to brought home Olympic medal in Summer Olympic in Seoul, 1998). Her granddad Yahya Buari was also the consecutive gold medal snatcher in PON VII 1969 to PON IX 1977.
Raised in an archery loving family, Della’s interest for this sport has grown up since little girl. Here is some Superkids Indonesia’ chit chat with Della after a practice session on East Java KONI Archery Range on Kertajaya Indah Street, Surabaya, early in October 2014.
Hi Della. When did you start practicing archery?
At 5 years old. Dad made me a special bow. Very light, just like a toy bow. To pumped me up, they rewarded me with some money. Rp 100 for each hit on the yellow mark on target board. I was very excited for the practice, thanks to the Rp 100. Hahaha!
No one made you to do archery?
I wasn’t pushed or made to. More like i was directed to. When i was a child, every day i played on the archery range, while mom and my big sister (archer Dellie Threesyadinda) practicing. Eventually, it became like a hobby. If someone asked me what’s the fun of it, it’s hard to answer that question.
Did you always familiar only with archery?
In Elementary School, i joined martial art and swimming. But they were just side ones. The number one was always archery. It’s in me, couldn’t took it off. Perhaps i was driven to be a professional archer like my big sister.
So, it really was a deep rooted virus..
Erm, don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t the only ‘victim’ here. My big brother (Irvaldi Ananda Putra) was too, and he is now an archer. It’s an automatic program in our brain. You know that many kids are suddenly have the urge to learn archey after watching “Mahabarata” series on TV.. Hehe.
How many times do you practice in a week?
Every day. Funny thing is, it’s never getting boring. When i really get bored, it’s easy. Just skip the practice. The most i can take it is two days. Then i’m back on the range.
What about the school?
I always looked for schools that support my career as an athlete. Mom reminds me that education is important. We can’t really depend on archery for a very long duration. Notice that many great athletes got a hard life economically when they get old? Say we win a competition and got Rp 200 million bonus. It will run out in two years, top. Mom became a government civilian in 2012 at Local Income Department (Dispenda). In her age, mom just started to work at office. Other employees of her age were already get higher position.
Never skip the class for practice?
Oh, many times! Hehehe. The worst was when pelatnas (national practice) for 2013 SEA Games. I skipped school for almost one year. From February 2013 to December 2013, i must be on the archery range on Senayan Jakarta. We slept in Atlet Century Park Hotel.
But you did pass?
I was forced to go back to Surabaya for exams and catching up once a month. You can call it ‘Barely Made It’. Hehehe.
But do you got gold at the SEA Games?
Fortunately yes! Hahaha. I got gold for Indonesia in the 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar. Mission accomplished.
How did you cope with homesick during pelatnas then?
I never really felt such thing with mom and dad. Perhaps because i was used to. Even before i’m in kindergarten, mom already gone away for months for pelatnas. As for me, i stared pelatnas at 2nd grade of Junior High School for preparation of 2011 SEA Games in Jakarta. It takes two months. But i got the medal in Asian Grand Prix 2011 in Laos, instead of SEA Games. So, homesick was not really my thing. For real. Perhaps it’s mom who misses me when i leave her home these days, hehehe.
What is your most impressive experience in archery?
Free traveling around the world. Archer has brought me to Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Philippines, China, South Korea, US, Italy, Poland, and even Dutch. Besides, i can stand up financially on my feet. I never asked parents for money anymore since the second grade of Junior High School.
The disadvantages?
Less friends. During school i barely joined any extracurricular or any activities. There was one time i joined it. In Elementary School, i joined the tapak suci self defense. And also, archery darken me because i spend the whole day on the range. Just look around, see if you can find a white archer. Hehehe.
Is it hard to have your well known mother’s name in archery?
It’s true, nearly everybody eventually knows that i’m the daughter of Lilies Handayani. I didn’t take it as a burden, just take it lightly. It’s a proud to be the offspring of a world class athlete like mom. It drives me to reach more.
What’s the next target?
I want to go to college and become a successful entrepreneur. I aim for Management or Accounting at Economic Faculty of Airlangga University (Unair) Surabaya. I want to take the college seriously, not like my sister who spend five years and still not graduated, hahaha. Later, i will open an archery school named Srikandi Archery School. It is also to make my mom’s dream come true to make archery more popular in Indonesia.
BIOFACT
Name: Della Adisty Handayani
Born: June 28 1997
School: Grade 3 at 16 Senior High School Surabaya
Parents: Denny Trisyanto and Lilies Handayani
Siblings: Dellie Threesyadinda and Irvaldi Ananda Putra
Achievement :
- Five golds in 2010 Kejurnas Junior
- Two golds and two bronzes in 2010 Kejurnas Umum
- Two silvers in 2011 Asian Grand Prix in Laos
- Gold in 2012 PON in Riau
- Silver in 2013 Asian Grand Prix in Bangkok
- Gold in 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar
HAFIDA INDRAWATI
PHOTOS: HAFIDA INDRAWATI
