PRIMA 2008

In July 19th -20th there is an Indonesian sport festival called PRIMA. This is not the first one but some people say it’s held annually but others say it’s biannual. Anyway, this year it’s held in Hannover. The Sports played within PRIMA are basketball, volleyball, football, tug and war, badminton, table tennis, and relay running.

At first I want to join in badminton match as I have practice during spring break. But I don’t feel really confident to play single so I plan to play double. As a partner, I choose a guy whom also joins badminton training in the university. But then when the list of sports is announced, apparently there is no mixed doubles event for badminton. It even doesn’t have any mixed doubles for everything; it’s all separated to girls and boys. And for badminton, no girl’s single event at all. It has to be in doubles; and the registration is based on team, not by the player. So, I join the Bremen badminton team.

I also join basketball team because there are not many girls available for making the team. We even only five. So we don’t have any substitutes.

Don’t ask about the exercise schedule. We never exercise in full team. I only join 1 for each in around 2 months!!! So now you can measure, how far our quality is. Well actually we’re not bad in badminton, uuuhhmmm I mean for men. We even get additional foreign players from Malaysia ;) Well it’s legal, don’t worry cause the requirement for this event is ‘able to speak Indonesian’. So, even Germans can also participate.

In the 19th, a big fully motivated delegation from Bremen was departed to Hannover. The boys will join all the sports while the girls only participate in badminton, table tennis, and basketball. And after some delay and opening ceremony, the sport festival is started. Badminton and table tennis were played simultaneously together. Outside, football also started. The duration for each game isn’t full. We only play in rally point in one game only; and for football, I think it’s only 20 minutes or so.

Although I think that our male badminton team is good, however they can’t win easily. Apparently Indonesian really born to play badminton; other teams are also good!!! In the end, from 2 teams of Bremen, 1 going to final and the other loose at quarter final. In final, Bremen has to face Berlin; a team which has an ex Indonesian national coach!!! Yeah you can guess, we lost!

Meanwhile in female team, I play against Göttingen. Although it’s called a team but it’s only one party. During this game, both supporters become hooligans and intimidate each other. It’s very hilarious actually; as the supporters keep yelling and shouting, the players just smile and play nervously. Fortunately, Bremen wins!!! :) So I can deliver my duty successfully :)

I think this is the only sport event that I ever join in my life. Even for the next match, I don’t play as we are registered as a team. Unfortunately, they loose. For basketball, the rules are changed. It’s 3 on 3; so we don’t need 5 players. I just join as substitute but don’t play at all. Bremen loose from Hamburg in the first match :(

In the end, Bremen doesn’t get any gold at all. However we get silver for male badminton, male & female table tennis, tug and war; and bronze for female badminton. So it’s not bad at all…

[All pictures are courtesy from Vita Amanda Putri]