Para-Cycling Athlete M. Fadli and the Spirit to Rise from Injury

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Trauma and surrendering are the two words that were never imprinted in Muhammad Fadli Imamuddin’s dictionary. The man that was popularly known as M. Fadli in Indonesia’s motorcycle racing world won numerous national to Asian level races prior to the tragic motorcycling accident that forced the 34 year old man to live with a permanent injury.

“Being traumatized would mean that I have isolated myself from the world. After all, accidents don’t just happen to me,” said Fadli in an interview with Tempo at the Alana Hotel Solo.

“Accidents can happen anywhere, not just in the motorcycle racing arena. If [I am] traumatized, why bother living,” said M. Fadli.

After officially retiring from the motorcycle racing world in 2016, M. Fadli pursued a new life in the cycling arena as a para-cycling athlete. Since January, Fadli participated in the National Training Center (Pelatnas) for the 2018 Asian Para Games that will be held in Jakarta on October 6 - October 13.

The second race in the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) Supersport 600cc class back in 2015 was the tragic day where M. Fadli Imanuddin. In front of hundreds of motorcycling fans at Sentul Circuit’s main grandstand, M. Fadli was involved in a serious racing incident during the slow-down lap just after winning the race.

He reduced his speed as he waved to his fans at the grand stand, shortly after he was hit from behind by a Thailand rider that was fighting for positions with a Japanese rider. Both were still carrying considerable speed from their fight to the finish line. M. Fadli’s left knee-to-foot had to be amputated as a result of his injuries.

Fadli always adopted a positive mindset throughout his recovery process. “The key is to have positive mindset. I always considered myself to be normal. No matter how other people may see me, what is important for me is that is continue to try. Whatever I can do, I will do it,” said the man born in Bogor, on July 25, 1984.

M. Fadli routinely cycled to quickly recover after undergoing surgery. That is when several good fortunes approached him. Such as meeting with a bicycle race coach that invited him to represent Indonesia in the world Para-cycling championship.

He was also financially backed by a French bicycle maker ‘Look’, which still sponsors Fadli in the Asian Para Games 2018. “It’s as if my huge spirit was upheld by the universe,” Fadli contemplated.

With 15 years-worth of experience in the motorcycle racing world accelerated M. Fadli’s learning curve in the Para-cycling world. His debut was when he participated in the Asia Cycling Championship (ACC) in Bahrain in March 2017 where he finished fourth in the Para-cycling class.

“I didn’t win in Bahrain because I only trained for two months prior,” said M. Fadli Imanuddin who won the gold medal in ACC Myanmar’s 22 kilometer Individual Time Trial (ITT) on February 2018.

DINDA LEO LISTY