Rizky Juniansyah, The Ninth Indonesian Athlete To Qualify For The 2024 Paris Olympics

Lifter Rizki Juniansyah became the ninth athlete to ensure qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics after appearing at the 2024 IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, Thursday, April 4, 2224.

Rizki, who fell in the 73 kg class, won a snatch of 164 kg and a clean and jerk weighing 201 kg with a total lift of 365 kg.

The record led him to a gold medal in the clean and jerk class and total force. Meanwhile, Rizki's snatch was crowned a silver medal.

As a result, the score brought Rizki Juniansyah to become Indonesia's representative in the 73 kg class who qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"The competition is very tight and extraordinary, both of Indonesia's best lifters are shown in world-level competitions."

"Of course we are very proud. Anyone who passes will both represent Indonesia and have the task of guarding the Red and White at the 2024 Paris Olympics," said Raja Sapta Oktohari, Chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (NOC Indonesia).

"Congratulations to Rizky for being able to show his class. Don't be complacent and keep peak performance until Paris later."

Meanwhile, Rizki's achievements at the same time made Rahmat Erwin Abdullah fail to attend the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Rahmat Erwin fell in the same class, 73 kg, and only received one silver and two bronze medals at the World Weightlifting Championship or the 2024 IWF World Cup.

The 20-year lifter won one silver from a clean and jerk weighing 206 kg. Then, two bronzes were obtained from a snatch weighing 160 kg and a total lift of 355 kg.

However, Okto, as Raja Sapta Oktohari is called, hopes that Rahmat Erwin will not be discouraged. The lifter's career from Makassar is still long and has a great opportunity at the next Olympics in 2028.

"For Rahmat Erwin, this is a sport where everything can happen. Keep the spirit, the struggle has not ended here. Los Angeles 2028 looks so close," said Raja Sapta Oktohari.

The coach of the Indonesian weightlifting team, Dirja Wihardja, explained that Rizki was able to beat Rahmat Erwin both from snatches, clean and jerk, and total force.

In addition, the results at Phuket also made Rizky succeed in setting a new world record for the total force that Rahmat Erwin previously achieved with 363 kg at the Weightlifting World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

"The Olympic rules in one class can only be filled by one athlete from one country taken from the best in the total force. That is Rizky," said Dirja.

"In sports there is a win and a loss, who is the best he can get (tickets). Rizki does have a target. If he wants to qualify, he must be able to beat Rahmat. The strategy has been going on since training," said Dirja again.

Rizki admitted that he did not expect to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics representing Indonesia. Moreover, he admitted that he had been on hiatus for five months after the operation.

"Alhamdulillah, I didn't expect to be this happy. It's all because of God's power. The struggle in training and after five months of bowel surgery can fight here, a record broke," said Rizky.

"I was just about to let go, what is the focus of the goal. I was also taken to be happy. Moreover, this is the last qualifying, so it's all over," he said.

In total, nine athletes have been confirmed to qualify for Paris 2024. They are two athletes from archery, Arif Dwi Pangestu and Diananda Choriunisa, Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi and Rahmad Adi Mulyono from rock climbing, Rifda Irfanaluthfi from artistic gymnastics, Fathur Gustafian from shooting branch, Rio Waida from surfing, and Eko Yuli Irawan and Rizky Juniansyah from the rank of leadership.