Badminton Player Leani Is Ambitious To Earn Gold Medal At Tokyo Paralympics

Leani Ratri Oktila (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Tokyo Paralympics are scheduled to take place from August 24 to September 5, 2021. Badminton athlete Leani Ratri Oktila Indonesia has the ambition to donate a gold medal.

Leani is scheduled to play in three badminton sports, namely women's singles SL4, women's doubles SL3-SU5 paired with Khalimatus Sadiyah Sukohandoko, and mixed doubles SL3-SU5 with Hary Susanto.

"My biggest dream is to win a Paralympic gold medal. My deepest gratitude goes to my family and friends, my coach, NPC Indonesia, and the Indonesian government who have paved the way to achieve my dream", said Leani, quoted by Antara on the website official Paralympic.org, Thursday, July 29.

Leani is one of the hopeful athletes of the Red and White contingent to win a medal at the world's largest sports event for athletes with disabilities. Her achievements are unquestionable.

Throughout her career, Leani has collected a number of medals at major events. At the ASEAN Para Games level, the 30-year-old woman bagged six gold.

Three of them were won at the ASEAN Para Games Singapore 2015 in the women's singles SL4, women's doubles SL3/4/SU5 with Khalimatus Sadiyah Sukohandoko, and the mixed doubles SL3/4/SU5 with Fredy Setiawan.

While the ASEAN Para Games Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2017, Leani successfully maintained her previous score. However, when she won gold in the mixed doubles, she was paired with Hary Susanto.

Leani's achievements were also flashy at the Asian Para Games by collecting three gold, two silver, and one bronze.

She won three gold each at the 2014 Incheon Asian Para Games in the mixed doubles number SL3/4 with Fredy Setiawan and the other two third took place in Jakarta 2018 namely for the women's doubles SL3–SU5 with Khalimatus Sadiyah Sukohandoko and the mixed doubles SL3–SU5 in a duet with Harry Susanto.

Not only at the Asian level, but Leani is also respected at the World Championships with a collection of three gold, two silver, and one bronze. In 2017 while competing in Ulsan, South Korea, she won his first gold at the World Championships pairing with Hary Susanto in the SL3-SU5 mixed doubles number.

Then this achievement continued and even increased at the 2019 World Championships in Basel, Switzerland by bringing home two golds in the SL4 women's singles and SL3-SU5 mixed doubles with Hary Susanto.

With a myriad of achievements, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) has also named Leani as the world's best badminton athlete twice in a row, in 2018 and 2019.

Now, her big mission is to get the best results at the Tokyo Paralympics. Reflecting on her experience and achievements, it is not impossible that Leani's dream of donating gold to Indonesia at the four-yearly sports event will be realized.

The badminton branch will send seven representatives to the Tokyo Paralympics. Besides Leani, Hary Susanto, Khalimatus Sadiyah, and Fredy Setiawan, Merah Putih also has Dheva Anrimusthi, Suryo Nugroho, and Ukun Rukaendi.