Rifda Irfanaluthfi: Indonesia's First Olympic Gymnast Gears Up For Paris

24-year-old Rifda Irfanaluthfi, a native of Jakarta, Indonesia, has been practising artistic gymnastics since the first grade of school.  Today, she's become the first Indonesian gymnast to qualify for the Olympics. Irfanaluthfi has been selected by the Indonesia National Olympic Committee to compete in the women’s artistic gymnastics competition in Paris. She is already writing history with her presence, and in her own words, “I want to show the world that Indonesian gymnasts are there."

Irfanaluthfi will make her Olympic debut on 28 July 2024 in the women’s artistic gymnastics competition, which will take place at the Bercy Arena. 

Rifda’s long-time coach and former professional gymnast Eva Butar-Butar says the athlete’s participation in Paris would be a “groundbreaking moment for the sport in Indonesia”.

'This is not for me alone'

This achievement is particularly groundbreaking for the sport and the country alike, gymnastics being an often-overlooked sport in the Southeast Asia region. Irfanaluthfi's participation in the Olympics will increase awareness about the sport and may inspire a new generation of Indonesian gymnasts.

According to an article by the Olympic organization, Irfanaluthfi said, "This is not for me alone. I want to motivate everyone, especially young athletes, not only for artistic gymnastics but in other sports as well that have never qualified for the Olympics. I want to tell them if I can do it, then you can too."

Journey so far

Ranked 52nd in the world, Rifda had long aspired to be a professional athlete, switching from swimming to gymnastics by age six and winning a stack of prizes, reports Reuters.

She made her international debut at the Doha World Cup in 2015, failing to make it past qualifications. She has been working towards this Olympic qualification since 2015. Previously, Irfanaluthfi worked as a civil servant at the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Indonesia, by whom she was named the 2019 Inspirational Student.

She stated that she plans to retire in 2024, after competing in the Paris Olympics, after which she will get her master's degree and become a gymnastics lecturer.

She also participated in the 2018 Asian Games and the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku. She has also been a long-time participant in the SEA Games, including the 2015 games in Singapore, 2017 in Kuala Lumpur, 2019 in the Philippines, and 2021 in Vietnam.

Awards

She is a four-time SEA Games champion and a three-time medalist in the FIG World Cup Series. She is also the 2018 Asian Games silver medallist in floor exercises and won gold medals in all-around, vault, and floor exercises at the 2016 Indonesian Games. At the 2015 SEA Games, she was the only Indonesian to win a medal.

In 2019, the Council of Representatives of Jakarta province in Indonesia awarded her a sporting achievement. She also received the AGF Trophy for best women's execution score at the 2023 World Cup event in Baku, Azerbaijan.