KOI Relys On Aquatics To Get Wildcard To Paris Olympics

Chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) Raja Sapta Oktohari (left) gave a statement to reporters at the Opening with NOC Indonesia (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) Raja Sapta Oktohari said that aquatic sports have the opportunity to get wildcards to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"We are still waiting for other Wildcard (besides athletics), one of which has the opportunity to be from aquatic," Oktohari said when confirmed in Jakarta, Friday.

KOI said there were already two athletic athletes who received wildcards (participation in the tournament according to the organizing policy) to appear at the Paris Olympics, namely Lalu Muhammad Zohri for the men's 100 meters running number and Odekta Naibaho for the women's marathon running number.

Oktohari said it is possible that the number of athletes who qualify will increase because the aquatic branch has the opportunity to get wildcards.

"The competition process for qualifying is still running, apart from aquatics, there is judo, shooting, it's still running," he said.

Oktohari said the qualification process would still run until June 2024. All sports that follow the qualifications, he said, certainly have a special strategy because they have witnessed their competitors firsthand.

He gave an example, such as archery has the biggest challenge from the Korean team. "What is our strategy to beat the team from Korea, of course these strategies are best understood from the sport," he said.

KOI together with the Ministry of Youth and Sports will discuss the medal target at the Paris Olympics after all sports have finished undergoing qualifications.

Meanwhile, until now, the number of athletes who are confirmed to have pocketed tickets to compete in the competition in the Paris Olympics is nine people, namely running athletes Lalu Muhammad Zohri and Odekta Nabaho, male archery athlete Arif Dwi Pangestu, Diananda Choirunisa's archery.

In addition, artistic gymnastics athlete Rifda Irfanaluthfi, shooting athlete Fathur Gustafian, male rock climbing athlete Rahmad Adi Mulyono, female rock climbing athlete Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi, and Indonesian male surfer Rio Waida.