Indonesian Athletes Surpasses Target at World Abilitysport Games
- ANTARA/Zaro Ezza Syachniar
Thailand – Chef de Mission (CdM) of the Indonesian contingent for the 2023 World Ability Sports Games (WAG), Ardima Rama Putra admitted that he was very satisfied with the achievements of Indonesian contingent athletes who surpassed the target at the sports event which held in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
The Indonesian contingent, which was targeted to win 3 gold and 8 bronze, actually returned home with more medals: 66 medals consisting of 39 gold, 19 silver, and 6 bronze.
`stafsus Menpora, Ardima Rama Putra
- istimewa
This score made Indonesia end the WAG 2023 in a runner-up position, behind overall champion host Thailand with a collection of 129 gold, 112 silver, and 116 bronze.
"The result was very proud of Indonesia because not only at the Asian level, this year, we have passed two para events, namely the Asian Para Games in Cambodia and the Asian Games in China, both of which have exceeded the target and made Indonesia proud," Putra said on Saturday.
"Even now, we have achieved second place at the World Abilitysport Games in Thailand, which is one level higher," he added.
The success at WAG 2023 adds to the slick record of Indonesian athletes in the international arena after previously becoming the overall champion of the ASEAN Para Games 2023 Cambodia and also ranked sixth at the Asian Games 2023 China.
"Hopefully, the target will continue to be improved, the focus of athletes should not be divided, moreover government support also continues to roll out not only for athletes but for NPC organizations and sports personnel," Putra expressed.
He further explained the key to Indonesia being able to buy up medals in the first edition of the event initiated by the International Wheelchair and Amputated Sports Federation (IWAS).
"The key to the success of the athletics is because the Indonesian National Paralympic Committee (NPC Indonesia) has a good training program to keep its athletes performing optimally in every championship," Putra explained.
Moreover, he believed that the achievements of Indonesian athletes will also continue to improve along with the construction of a national disability athlete training center in Karanganyar, Central Java, which was planned in the middle of last year.
"We know that the NPC has a good training program and keeps its athletes in a physical condition that can compete in the best performance," Putra said,
Furthermore, after becoming the runner-up of WAG 2023, Putra stated that now his party will continue to boost the preparation of Indonesian athletes ahead of the grand Paris 2024 Paralympic event, next August.
"We have to focus because there are only about 8 months left before Paris, so the government will continue to coordinate with the NPC on how to keep these potential athletes physically and mentally healthy to face Paris 2024," Putra concluded.
