SEA Games 2025: A series of Indonesian homework behind the results from Thailand

JAKARTA - The Indonesian contingent closed the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand with a smile. Indonesia managed to surpass the target of the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora) by bringing home 91 gold medals.

Indonesia successfully brought home a total of 333 medals, with details of 91 gold, 111 silver, and 131 bronze. This record places the Red and White in second place, losing to host Thailand who won 233 gold out of a total of 499 medals.

With this record, Indonesia erased the nightmare of the SEA Games away record in 32 years.

"Indonesia's achievement at this SEA Games is really impressive. It has been a long time since we have not heard the Indonesian national anthem, Indonesia Raya, being played so much in prestigious sports branches," said the General Chairman of the Indonesian Basketball Association (PB Perbasi) 2006-2010, Noviantika Nasution.

"The result of 91 gold is a soothing heart and a remedy for the longing for our strength to speak again in multi-events such as the SEA Games. Seeing this result, we must believe in ourselves that we can return to a new positive record at the 2026 Asian Games," continued Noviantika.

Indonesia's achievement at the 2025 Thailand SEA Games was appreciated by various circles. Not only because it exceeded the initial target of 80 gold from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, but also led Indonesia to achieve new achievements.

In the midst of the sad news following the disaster in three provinces, namely Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, Indonesia's success at the largest sports festival in Southeast Asia has become a little encouraging.

Raihan 91 gold is the third highest number of gold medals brought home by the Indonesian contingent when they were not the host organizers, since they first participated in the 1977 SEA Games until now.

Previously, Indonesia won 102 gold medals at the 1989 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games, followed by 92 gold at the 1991 Manila SEA Games.

This achievement also improved the ranking in the previous two SEA Games. Indonesia was in third place in the 2021 and 2023 SEA Games. At that time, Indonesia collected 69 and 87 gold medals respectively.

Indonesia last won the overall championship when it hosted the 2011 SEA Games. Previously, the Red and White had not even been able to take the second place, which was last won at the 1995 SEA Games. Three decades ago in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Indonesia collected 77 gold medals.

"We are grateful to be in second place, where after 1995, when we did not host, we could only be at most in third place. This means that we are re-writing a new history of Indonesia's good record in the Southeast Asian sports arena, as the President's message," said the Minister of Youth and Sports, Erick Thohir.

The 2025 Thailand SEA Games also brought surprises, especially from the athletics and swimming branches. In swimming, a total of 11 medals (three gold, three silver, five bronze) were won from 38 race numbers.

Interestingly, several young athletes shine in Thailand and successfully replace the role of veterans. The young swimmers and debutants managed to show off. Jason Donovan (18) won two gold medals, while Adelia Chantika Aulia (14) contributed one bronze. Only one swimmer born in the 90s in the team, I Gede Siman Sudartawa, finally decided to retire in Thailand.

The achievement of medals in the athletics branch was also appreciated with 20 medals from 47 events (nine gold, five silver, six bronze). A row of young athletes contributed gold for the first time, just say the goal runner Dina Aulia (22) and pole vault Diva Renatta Jayadi (23).

Sports observer Fritz Simanjuntak said Indonesia's achievements at the 2025 SEA Games will still be accompanied by homework that must be considered by national sports stakeholders.

Fritz gave high appreciation for Indonesia's achievement which ranked second in the final standings of medal collection. But on the other hand, he encouraged the government to continue to improve in order to support the sustainability of national sports development.

First, he said, realizing the big plan to build adequate and modern national training facilities. Fritz reminded, this has been a big job for the government since the past.

"President Prabowo has also announced it. Hopefully it will be realized soon because it is important that our athletes can have centralized and modern support facilities," said Fritz.

Second, he reminded the importance of increasing the frequency of international-level sports competitions in Indonesia so that athletes and young talents who are being trained get flying hours.

According to Fritz, competition is the best benchmark in calculating how far the coaching of sports achievements has progressed. In addition, international level competition also provides a more accurate measurement container.

"I hope the Minister of Youth and Sports can encourage sports administrators, PB-PB, to regularly hold international competitions. Because if we wait for the SEA Games alone, the Asian Games alone, it is clearly not enough," he said.

In particular, Fritz said that encouraging competition could be the answer to the frequent neglect of sports facilities that were previously suddenly built for multi-event events such as the National Sports Week.

The achievement at the SEA Games is indeed not the end point. The achievement in Thailand this time should be a turning point for Indonesia to move to a higher level, namely Asia and even the world. For this reason, with a series of potential that emerged at the SEA Games, it must be accompanied by a sustainable coaching program.