David Jacobs Convinced of Winning Gold at 2022 ASEAN Para Games

VIVA – A 10^th grade para-table tennis athlete, Dian David Michael Jacobs or known as David Jacobs feels confident of winning the gold medal at the 11^th ASEAN Para Games in Solo, on July 30 to August 6, 2022.

"Hopefully, we will be ready to meet the medal target. Moreover, so far, we have always won gold medals in ASEAN," David Jacobs said during an online dialogue with the theme "Indonesia Aims for the 2022 ASEAN Para Games (APG) General Champion.

The athlete who was born in Ujung Pandang and has won two Paralympic bronze medals is also not careless and arrogant with his achievements.

Para-table tennis is targeted to win 12 gold medals out of a total of 104 gold medals targeted at all sports so that Indonesia will emerge as the overall champion of the 2022 Asian Para Games.

From the para-table tennis branch, David said that he had undergone national training for a long time in preparation for the 2022 Asian Para Games.

"There are also some 'tryouts' abroad and domestically. So, for now, we are ready to compete. My friends are also ready," David Jacobs remarked.

David Jacobs also said that so far, the athletes have been more focused on training match strategies and analyzing the opponents they will face in APG 2022.

"I have to stay focused to reach the target," David Jacobs added.

Indonesia being the host for APG 2022, the largest sporting event for people with disabilities in Southeast Asia after being delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are 14 sports that will be competed in APG 2022, such as athletics, wheelchair tennis, soccer (cerebral palsy and the blind), boccia, chess, weight lifting, table tennis, judo, wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, and swimming.

For information, the Indonesia ASEAN Para Games Organizing Committee (INASPOC) and the Indonesian National Paralympic Committee (NPC) have prepared 14 venues in Solo City, Karanganyar Regency, Sukoharjo Regency, and Semarang City for all these branches.

Besides David, a number of speakers were also present at the discussion initiated by the Merdeka Barat 9 Forum, namely, Minister of Youth and Sports, Zainudin Amali, Mayor of Solo/Chairman of INASPOC Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and Chairman of the Indonesian Paralympic National Committee, Senny Marbun.