Basral Graito Hutomo secured a gold medal for Indonesia in men’s street skateboarding at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand after a dramatic final run. Competing at Extreme Sport Park Rajamangala in Bangkok on Sunday, 14 December 2025, the Solo-born athlete entered the final round.
Basral was the last skater to perform in the single trick session. With no room for error, he landed a decisive trick that pushed him past three competitors and straight to the top of the podium. The crowd watched as the standings shifted in the final seconds.
The pressure was heavy. Basral faced strong home support for Thai athletes and the expectation of delivering Indonesia’s first skateboarding gold at the Games.
According to Indonesian National Skateboard Team Manager Achmad Taufan, the difficulty of the moment made the result even more meaningful.
“It was a world-class trick that not just anyone can do,” Taufan said, as quoted from Republika.
Indonesia’s skateboarding team finished the Games with one gold and one silver medal. The silver came from Ni Wayan Malana Fairbrother in the women’s street skateboarding event.
View this post on Instagram
The Hug That Went Viral and the Story Behind It
Basral’s victory moment quickly spread online, but not only because of the medal. Netizens were distracted by a spontaneous celebration involving Malaysian skateboard coach Mariss Khan, who ran onto the course, hugged Basral, and caused both of them to tumble to the ground.
The scene felt unusual to some viewers, but Taufan said it reflected the close bond within the Southeast Asian skateboarding community.
“When there are competitions everywhere, we meet each other. When Southeast Asia meets, we are all together, together,” he said.
Mariss Khan is a respected figure in the sport and has long been connected to regional athletes. He served as a judge at the X Games in the 2000s and has followed the growth of skateboarding across Southeast Asia for years.
Filipino professional skater John Flory, also known as Motic Panugalinog, also joined the celebration moments after Basral’s final trick.
According to Taufan, this sense of familiarity goes beyond regional tournaments. Athletes and coaches from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines often travel together and cross paths at world championships in countries such as Italy and Japan.
Basral’s rise has been closely watched since his early appearances. Taufan said his talent was recognised long before this SEA Games final.
“From the moment Basral first appeared, our friends in ASEAN saw Basral’s talent,” he said.
The emotional reaction from Mariss and Motic, Taufan added, was completely spontaneous. They understood the weight of the moment and the pressure Basral carried going into his final attempt.
