Veddriq Leonardo has been confronted with limitations, one after another, in every step of his career. He leads a life as a climbing athlete with perseverance despite the lack of support.
By
I Gusti Agung Bagus Angga Putra
·5 minutes read
AFP/GETTY IMAGES/ANDY BAO
Veddriq Leonardo of Indonesia celebrates his first place win and breaking the speed world record during the speed climbing finals of the IFSC Climbing World Cup at Industry SLC on May 28, 2021 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Breaking sport climbing world records has not been achieved with ease by Veddriq Leonardo. He has been confronted with limitations, one after another, in every step of his career. He leads a life as a climbing athlete with perseverance despite the lack of support.
Applause was roaring in the outdoor sport climbing arena of Industry Salt Lake City, Utah, the United State, after two climbing athletes from Indonesia completed the final speed event of the 2021 International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup on May 29 (29/5/2021). The end of the final run between Kiromal Katibin and Veddriq Leonardo at the same time presented a new climbing world record in the speed event.
Veddriq set the record time of 5.208 seconds, emerging as World Cup champion by defeating his compatriot. He was screaming to express his utmost joy, raising his clenched fists while still hanging from the safety rope. Several seconds later, he again tried to overcome climbing hurdles even though the competition was over.
The achievement established him as the fastest sport climbing athlete in the world. In order to reach this point, Veddriq encountered various troubles and limitations in his early sport climbing career. Spending his childhood and teenage years in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Veddriq got acquainted with sport climbing when he was a high school student.
At the time, he joined the activity of nature-lover students of SMA 6 state high school in Pontianak. As he watched a sport climbing practice session for the first time, Veddriq was promptly interested in giving it a try. He considered the sport very challenging despite its risky nature.
I was already too fond of this sport. I’d prove to my mom that I could make achievements.
It was the high-risk factor that made his mother, Rosita, refrain from supporting Veddriq’s engagement in climbing at first. Moreover, his family has no climbing background either.
“Mother was worried because it’s an extreme sport, with the risk of falling and getting injured. But I was already too fond of this sport. I’d prove to my mom that I could make achievements,” he said on Thursday (3/6).
AP PHOTO/ALEX GOODLETT
First-place finisher Veddriq Leonardo (center), of Indonesia, stands with second-place Kiromal Katiban (left), of Indonesia, and third-place Marcin Dzienski, of Poland after the men\'s speed climbing finals at the climbing World Cup on Friday, May 28, 2021, in Salt Lake City.
He proved his words. Various climbing championship awards and titles were won while he was in high school. Gradually, his mother allowed him to delve further into the sport. Veddriq responded to her trust by rising as a World Cup champion in the speed event in the US.
Originally, this climbing athlete in West Kalimantan faced constraints due to inadequate training facilities. Veddriq and other fellow athletes frequently trained independently in the afternoon at Sultan Syarif Abdurrahman Sports Stadium (GOR) Pontianak.
They were always working out in harmony, safeguarding and supporting each other. When Veddriq was climbing, his peers were watching over for his safety and the other way round.
They were attempting to surmount their limitations. Among other things, they repaired parts of the wall that were damaged. Dented areas were covered and polished with their private funds.
“It was the most difficult time for me as an athlete. I had to spare my pocket money and income from casual work so as to be able to secure sport climbing equipment,” he said.
Surviving trials
While building his career, Veddriq once intended to give up his aspirations to become a sport climbing athlete. It was due to his failure to join the West Kalimantan team for the Junior Sport Climbing National Championship in Yogyakarta in 2015. He canceled his participation because of minimum support and funds.
The reality hit Veddriq hard, ruining his spirit. He halted his training and even thought of abandoning the sport climbing world. However, his peers aroused Veddriq’s zeal and raised his hopes. Their support and motivation sent him back to the sport arena.
“When I was absent for six months, my peers remained active and enthusiastic. There were only several sport climbing athletes in West Kalimantan. If one of them is out, if I quit climbing for instance, that’s too bad for them,” said Veddriq.
ANDY BAO/GETTY IMAGES/AFP
Veddriq Leonardo of Indonesia celebrates his first place win and breaking the speed world record during the speed climbing finals of the IFSC Climbing World Cup at Industry SLC on May 28, 2021 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Veddriq’s decision to resume training was correct. In 2017, he participated in the Sport Climbing National Championship in Yogyakarta. At the time, the West Kalimantan contingent wasn’t taken into account. Yet Veddriq served as the only West Kalimantan representative appearing on the podium with a bronze medal.
His natural talent was detected by Indonesia’s sport climbing national coach Hendra Basyir. Hendra was then monitoring climbing athlete candidates to be included in the national training center for the preparation of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang in South Sumatra.
His meeting with Hendra became a historic moment for Veddriq. For the first time, he was designated as a national sport climbing athlete. Later on, his career further grew when he joined a number of international sport climbing championships.
Veddriq responded to Hendra’s trust, who made him a national team athlete, by presenting a silver medal in the speed relay event in the 2018 Asian Games.
Now, Veddriq and climbing athletes in the national training center are preparing to participate in the second series of the World Cup Sport Climbing speed event in Villars, Switzerland, in early July.
Through his world record achievements, Veddriq wishes to show that success is often gained from difficult circumstances. He has survived all the limitations he faced. He has also reached the highest peak of the arena of sport climbing.
Veddriq Leonardo
Born: Pontianak, March 11, 1997
Father: Sumaryanto
Mother: Rosita
Education:
- Islamiyah Primary School Pontianak
- State Junior High School 21 Pontianak
- State Senior High School 6 Pontianak
Achievements:
- Silver Medal Speed WR Relay Asian Games 2018 Jakarta-Palembang
- Bronze Medal Speed WR IFSC World Cup 2018 in Moscow, Russia
- Silver Medal Speed WR Asian Championship 2018 in Kurayoshi, Japan
- Gold Medal Speed WR IFSC Asian Championship 2019 in Bogor, West Java
- Gold Medal Speed IFSC World Cup 2021 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the US.
