SUDARTAWA I Gede Siman

General
BACKSTROKER
He began focusing on the backstroke in 2010 when he moved from Bali to Jakarta and joined Millennium Aquatic. "When we were younger, we were obliged to learn all styles. I remember back then I could compete in up to 11 events at a single national level tournament or championships. When I was 14 or 15, I came to like the butterfly, but when I moved to Jakarta and joined Millennium Aquatic in 2010, coach Albert Sutanto advised me to focus on the backstroke. He thought my backstroke was better than any other styles that I showed him. He also told me that I had a better chance to qualify for the Southeast Asian Games with the backstroke. So I went with it and I ended up going to the 2010 Asian Games." (Motor1com Indonesia YouTube channel, 12 Jan 2022; Timotius Mulyadi YouTube channel, 20 Oct 2020)

EARLY DAYS
He credits his mother Ni Made Sri Karmini for taking him to swimming lessons via a one-hour motorbike from when he was in primary school until senior high. "So this went on until I was in first grade of high school and I remember very well when I was in elementary school, I used to go home from school immediately [for training], even though I was often tired, and as a result I often fell asleep on the motorbike and mum didn't give up easily. She tied me with a rope to her body so I wouldn't fall and I could arrive to my swimming club safely. She even asked my swimming buddies about their food, just to make sure I wouldn't be bored with her cooking." (tribunnews, 27 Oct 2020)