Target At Tokyo Paralympics: Two Achieved, Only Gold Medal And Ranking Up
JAKARTA - A total of 23 athletes from seven sports have been officially inaugurated and released to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics by the Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Indonesia (Menpora RI), Zainudin Amali on Saturday, August 14, morning local time. Is there a target for them?
Chef de Mission (CdM) of the Indonesian contingent at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Andi Herman, revealed that the Indonesian contingent was not only determined to improve the rankings, but also proclaimed to win more medals than before.
"The Indonesian contingent is targeting 1 gold and 1 silver medal for badminton, 1 bronze for powerlifting, 1 bronze for table tennis, and 1 bronze for athletics," Andi said in a virtual press conference, Saturday. , August 14.
Since the national training camp, he continued, the targets to be achieved in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics have been targeted. Namely, first, 15 athletes have passed. Second, pass 6 sports. Third, improving the ranking from 76 to 60. Fourth, winning a gold medal.
"Thanks to the hard work of all parties, 2 targets have been exceeded, namely passing 23 athletes from 15 targets. And 7 sports from 6 sports that are targets," he explained.
The 7 sports that will be followed by representatives of the country are badminton, table tennis, athletics, cycling, swimming, shooting, and powerlifting. Athletics and badminton are the sports that send the most Indonesian representatives to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
There are at least 7 badminton and athletic athletes who are ready to make the nation proud at the quadrennial sporting event. Then Indonesia sent 3 athletes in table tennis, 2 representatives in swimming and shooting, and 1 each in cycling and powerlifting.
"The next target is to improve the ranking and win a gold medal," said Andi.
Andi also explained that Indonesia's participation in the paralympic games was the eleventh participation since it was held for the first time since 1976. Indonesia has always participated in sending athletes in every paralympic event, except for the 1992 Barcelona Paralympic Games.
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At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Andi said, the preparation of the Indonesian contingent faced many challenges where athletes, in undergoing the national training camp program, had to adapt to the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Athletes in addition to face-to-face with the coach, also undergo virtual training that has never been done before, either coach or athlete," he said.
Several activities to prepare for the Tokyo Paralympic, among others, are holding a national center in Solo which will be held from October 2020 to August 2021. Second, sending athletes to take part in national events as an effort to improve athlete achievement as well as to collect points. Third, conduct trials or tryouts abroad to increase the athlete's experience.
"At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic, the Indonesian contingent dispatched 60 people, 23 athletes, 16 officials and coaches, 6 delegates and CDM, 8 supporting staff and 7 people supported by the Indonesian Embassy staff in Tokyo," Andi said.