"Wonder Child" Alma Ariella Climbs Southeast Asia's Summit

She may be only 16 years old, but don't doubt Alma Ariella Tsany's abilities once she's scaled that 15-meter-high wall. Whether it's a contoured and sloping wall, a large, open hold, or a challenging route, Alma can tackle it all like she's dancing on the wall. Dancing on the wall.

At the Bangkok Sport Climbing Center Stadium SAT, Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday (12/12/2025) night, Alma captivated nearly everyone in attendance. How could she not, when among the eight male and female climbers competing in the final round, only Alma was able to reach the summit. When that peak was achieved, the gold medal was assuredly in her hands.

A smile blossomed on Alma's face. There was no celebration, only her hands clasped together as Alma descended from the climbing wall. "I want to celebrate, but it doesn't come out. I'm a bit confused and feel like I don't want to be too happy because this is just the beginning," said Alma.

The six Indonesian lead climbers competing in the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand have been instilled with this mindset: that the SEA Games are just the starting point. This Southeast Asian Games is a stepping stone to a higher level, namely Asia and the world. Alma understands this.

Yes, a small electricity pole. Climbing it is like climbing a tree.

Alma expressed her happiness in a different way. She embraced other female climbers who were her rivals, including her fellow Indonesian climber, Sukma Lintang Cahyani, who won a silver medal. The climber from Gresik, East Java, also contacted her parents who were watching the live broadcast from Indonesia.

However, apart from that, Alma carried out her routine as during practice, namely cooling down and discussing the route with Lintang. The only difference was that Alma was immediately surrounded by journalists and suddenly had many fans asking for photos together.

"I still get nervous when asked questions. Now there are more (journalists). But my mother says, just be confident," said Alma in a soft voice.

A year ago, Alma never imagined she would be at the pinnacle of Southeast Asia. Alma's name only emerged after she won five climbing medals at the Aceh-Sumut 2024 National Sports Week, three of which were gold medals. This remarkable achievement was attained when Alma made her debut as one of the youngest climbers on the East Java team.

When she was a child, even before entering elementary school, Alma was an active kid who loved to climb anything in her home area. The house fence and even the utility pole often became Alma's climbing objects. "Yes, the small utility pole. Climbing it was like climbing a tree," said Alma, shyly recalling her childhood.

From there, Alma's story began. Knowing that their child was active, Alma's parents, Lukman Hadi and Dyah Purwaningsih, enrolled their 5-year-old daughter in a climbing club not far from their home, Rock Hobbies Centre Gresik. Every day, Lukman and Dyah took turns driving their youngest child to practice.

However, despite the added safety of using a safety rope, Alma's courage was daunted when she first climbed a lead climbing wall. It took her many tries before she finally got used to it and started to enjoy it.

Alma's passion for lead has led her to participate in various competitions and achieve numerous achievements. At just 12 years old, Alma already achieved success at the 2021 National Championships in the Age Group XV in Aceh.

Although not competing in an International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) event, Alma also made her international debut in 2023, competing in Malaysia and Singapore. She competed in another climbing discipline, bouldering.

Indonesian rock climbing team coach Hendra Basir said one of Alma's strengths is her strength, which is also supported by her body weight. In the gravity-defying lead competition, climbers must be able to withstand hanging while attempting to reach the summit.

This discipline requires endurance, agility, and speed. Lead climbers are also challenged to solve routes of varying difficulty.

Alma, for instance, tackles the challenge of point 42, the point where Lintang fell, with her agile movements. She maximizes her hands and feet to cross on the grips or to hold her body horizontally. Each of her movements, which become increasingly optimal due to her comfort with climbing, leads her to the summit.

The coach of Alma during the regional training camp, Ronald Mamarimbing, stated that another strength of Alma is her mentality. Alma possesses a champion's mentality, making her reluctant to give up and unafraid when competing, even as a debutant facing more senior opponents.

With her skills and outstanding achievements at the national level, Alma has made it to the national training camp starting this year. Before officially entering the national training camp, Alma was included in the lead and boulder teams that competed in the 2024 Asian Youth Championships in Jamshedpur, India. She took home silver in the lead.

In August, Alma was sent to the 2025 Asian Youth Championships in Guiyang, China, to compete again in the lead and boulder disciplines. A fan of Slovenian climber Janja Garnbet, the two-time Olympic gold medalist and 10-time World Climbing Championship gold medalist, she finished fourth in the lead.

For Alma, the past year has been a busy one. Domestically, she has participated in various competitions, including the National Championships for age groups. She concluded that busy year with a gold medal from the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.

That starting point, which also served as a stepping stone, has been traversed by Alma. Now, the "wonder kid" who climbs fences and electric poles is firmly looking towards other peaks at a higher level. "It must be gradual, but my dream and that of every athlete is certainly the Olympics," said Alma.

Dear readers, the Kompas daily has opened a column titled Letters for Athletes, which contains opinions, encouragement, or comments regarding the performance of Indonesian athletes at the SEA Games in Thailand 2025. Please send your brief comments, consisting of a minimum of two sentences and a maximum of six sentences, by filling out the form below. Selected comments will be published in the Kompas daily during the SEA Games 2025.