Among the spectators were three women who sat in a separate group. Two of the women wore the hijab, while the other wore ordinary clothes.
By
Kelvin Hianusa from Hanoi, Vietnam
·5 minutes read
KOMPAS
Ahead of the 2021 Vietnam SEA Games, Hanoi Residents Are Not Enthusiastic to Welcome the SEA Games.
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected various aspects of human life over the past two years. The return of supporters’ excitement in various sports arenas at the 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, reflects an end to the “era of darkness".
Thousands of people cheered in the stands of Thanh Tri Indoor Stadium in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Saturday (21/5/2022), to support their teams during the basketball match between host Vietnam and Indonesia. Some wore masks, some did not. They sat next to each other, almost without any distance between them.
Among the spectators were three women who sat in a separate group. Two of the women wore the hijab, while the other wore ordinary clothes. The two women in hijab were the only people wearing the garment in the stands. Sure enough, as expected, the three dark-skinned people were not local residents.
The three supporters were Muthia (23), Amira (21), and Penta (21), all Indonesian citizens currently studying in Malaysia. Although they had a limited budget, they traveled from Malaysia to Vietnam just to watch the Indonesian national team compete in the SEA Games.
"We were desperate to come here. Our university is still on holiday. Actually, this is the first time [for us] to visit Vietnam. We were so excited about watching and witnessing Indonesia [winning a gold medal]. We did not need long to consider [the trip]," said Muthia, who idolizes veteran Indonesian basketball player Andakara Prastawa.
Muthia and her friends are a manifestation of the genuine enthusiasm and passion of sports spectators. They are willing to go beyond their limit, sometimes beyond what is rational. They make such efforts made to meet their idols and to support their country.
KELVIN HIANUSA
Players of the Indonesian national basketball team celebrate after winning the gold at the 2021 Vietnam SEA Games at the Thanh Tri Indoor Stadium, Hanoi, on Sunday (22/5/2022). Indonesia won in the decisive match over the Philippines 85-81.
In fact, despite their daring, the three faced a number of challenges from before the match to the moment it began. Before they were seated in the stands, they were wandering outside the arena. They lined up among a sea of thousands of Vietnamese spectators who also wanted to enter.
Their hope of watching the game from the stands was almost dashed because the security officers had closed the stadium’s entrance gate. The stands were already filled with thousands of enthusiastic spectators.
Luckily, they met an Indonesian journalist who helped them reach the stands. However, it did not mean they could enjoy the game in comfort.
Their efforts to watch the match ended sweetly when Indonesia defeated Vietnam 94-67.
After the first half of the match was over, they were asked to move because they were seated in an area allocated to Vietnam supporters. Amira and her friends then decided to stand and watch until the end of the match. Their efforts to watch the match ended sweetly when Indonesia defeated Vietnam 94-67.
"We didn't think it would be so crowded. Luckily, someone helped us. Otherwise, we would have come here from far way in vain. However, even if the clock was turned back, we would still do [the same thing],” said Amira.
Historical witness
It was even more special as the “Red and White” basketball team won its first SEA Games gold medal in its history when it defeated the “king” of Southeast Asia, the Philippines, on Sunday afternoon (22/5). Muthia, Amira, and Penta were truly living witnesses of the Indonesian basketball team’s historic achievement in Vietnam.
Their enthusiasm and passion have been revived after being confined by the pandemic. The 2021 SEA Games is the first international multi-sport event to allow live spectators at full capacity. The atmosphere in the arenas in Vietnam was so vibrant and lively, just like life before the pandemic.
At the same time, global conditions also appear to be improving, allowing Indonesian students to travel abroad without the restrictions that were in place during the pandemic. Indonesia, which had imposed very strict rules at the beginning of the pandemic, even eased its mask policy in open spaces last week.
The return of spectators to the sports arena was also felt by Filipino James (40) and his father, Erick (65). They came from Manila to Hanoi to watch Hidilyn Diaz. The lifter in the 55-kilogram class is a national hero who won the country’s first gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
“Weightlifting is not popular in our country. However, Diaz has become a national hero thanks to his contribution in winning the Olympic gold. Therefore, my father and I idolize him very much. We want to support him directly," James said in Hanoi.
Their efforts to watch the event in person in Vietnam paid off. Diaz won gold at the SEA Games.
James and Erick had front-row seats at the Hanoi Sports Training Center. Whenever Diaz prepared to compete, they stood up and held up the Philippine flag. Their efforts to watch the event in person in Vietnam paid off. Diaz won gold at the SEA Games.
"We came because the pandemic has subsided. We often came to events like this, one of which was the [Jakarta-Palembang 2018] Asian Games. However, in recent years, I have been worried about traveling. I'm afraid of the risks to my father because Covid-19 has been proven to be more dangerous for the elderly," said James.
The return of spectators and the “spirit” of sporting events bodes well for the world. Watching sports matches is a tertiary need for people. If tertiary needs are revived and fulfilled like before the pandemic, the world will be fine.
(This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi)
