Indonesia's Schedule At The Tokyo Paralympics Today, Thursday 26 August: The Red And White Team Have The Opportunity To Win The First Medal

Ni Nengah Widiasih is the only Indonesian powerlifting athlete at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian contingent has the opportunity to win the first medal through para-powerlifting athletes Ni Nengah Widiasih and Muhammad Fadli Imammudin from para-cycling at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Thursday.

Widi, Ni Nengah Widiasih's nickname, is scheduled to drop at the women's 41 kg number at the Tokyo International Forum starting at 11:00 WIB.

The athlete from Bali will compete with nine representatives from other countries. They are Lara Aparecida de Lima (Brazil), Guo Lingling (China), and Cristina Poblador Granados (Colombia).

In addition there are also Leidy Rodriguez (Cuba), Zoe Newson (United Kingdom), Hellen Wawira Kariuki (Kenya), Noura Baddour (Syria), Maryn Kopiika (Ukraine), and Clara Sarahy Fuentes Monasterio (Venezuela).

Previously on the official Tokyo 2020 Paralympic website as reported by Antara, Widiasih, who was the only Indonesian representative in the para-powerlifting branch, was called the toughest competitor for another world lifter in the women's 41 kg class.

Widiasih was the bronze medalist of the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics, Brazil in 2016. At that time, she was ranked third after recording the best weight of 95 kg.

Meanwhile, Turkey's Nazmiye Muratli won gold with 104 kg and Zhe Chui from China won silver with 102 kg.

However, to win gold, Widi's journey is predicted not to be easy at the Tokyo Paralympics.

Because, he will compete with Guo Lingling who is a two-time world champion in 2017 and 2019. He also currently holds the world record with a total weight of 118kg when appearing at the 2019 World Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

Then there is the name Noura Badour from Syria who is the bronze winner at the 2019 World Championships.

Another one who will be Widi's tough opponent is Leidy Rodriguez from Cuba who is said to be able to make a surprise. He was a gold medalist at the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru.

NPC Indonesia itself declared bronze for the para-powerlifting branch. With thorough preparations that have been made, Widi is expected to be able to give the first medal to the Indonesian contingent at the Tokyo Paralympics.

Para-bike racing

Besides Widi, Indonesia also has the opportunity to win a medal from the para-cycling sport through Muhammad Fadli Imammudin.

The only Indonesian representative in this branch will make their debut at the Tokyo Paralympics by competing in the men's 1000 meter Time Trial C4-5 at Izu Veledrome, Thursday at 12:00 WIB.

Fadli will compete with 20 of the world's best cycling para-racing athletes. For example, two Brazilian representatives, namely Andre Luiz Grizante and Lauro Chaman.

In addition, Colombia also sent two representatives, namely Diego German Duenas and Edwin Fabian Matiz Ruiz. Likewise with Spain, France, and Malaysia, each of which sent two athletes.

Spain has Pablo Jaramillo Gallardo and Alfonso Cabello. While the French are Dorian Foulon and Kévin Le Cunff. Malaysia was represented by Muhammad Hafiz Jamali and Zuhairie Ahmad Tarmizi.

Likewise with China through their two mainstay cyclists Wu Guoqing and Lai Shanzhang.

While the rest are Jody Cundy (United Kingdom), Zsombor Wermeser (Hungary), Ronan Grimes (Ireland), Carol-Eduard Novak (Romania), Sergei Pudov (RPC), Jozef Metelka (Slovakia), Yegor Dementyev (Ukraine), Christopher Murphy (United States of America).

Fadli himself will go down in the seventh heat. He is expected to give the best results in his debut at the Tokyo Paralympics.

Para-table tennis

In addition to para-cycling and para-powerlifting, Indonesia also has three athletes from table tennis who performed today. They are David Jacobs, Adyos Astan, and Comet Akbar.

David Jacobs will continue his struggles in the second match of the Group B preliminary round 10 against Jose Manuel Ruiz Reyes of Spain at table one at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, Thursday at 12:00 WIB.

David Jacobs has a chance to win a ticket to the last eight because he is statistically superior to Reyes.

From the rankings, Indonesia's representative is better by being in second place in the world. Reyes is currently seventh in the world.

Even so from the meeting, David Jacobs dominated by bagging five wins from a total of eight matches against Reyes.

The two last faced each other in the semifinals of the 2nd PTT Spanish Open 2018. At that time, David Jacobs won with a score of (3-2) 11-3, 11-9, 9-11, 5-11, 11-8. In the event David Jacobs also came out as champion.

Even earlier, David Jacobs won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Paralympics after defeating Reyes with a score of (3-1) 11-9, 7-11, 11-5, 11-6.

Meanwhile, Adyos Astan will face Poland's Rafal Lis in the Group A class 4 competition at table seven at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, Thursday, at 15:20 WIB.

Adyos is expected to be able to get his first victory after losing points yesterday after losing to Turkish representative Abdullah Ozturk with a score of 1-3 (8-11, 11-6, 3-11, 7-11).

Even so, the Great Comet must win against French eighth seed Gilles de la Bourdonnaye in Group A in class 10 to keep their chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals.

In the first match yesterday, Komet lost to representatives of Poland as well as first seed Patryk Chojnowski after losing 0-3 (5-11, 7-11, 6-11).

Schedule of the Indonesian contingent at the Tokyo Paralympics Thursday, August 26, 2021

Para-powerlifting Ni Nengah Widiasih - 41 kg women11:00 WIB - Final

Para-bike racing M Fadli Imammudin12:00 WIB - Men's C4 1000m Time Trial

Para-table tennis14:00 WIB - Group B Class 10 - David Jacobs vs. Jose Manuel Ruiz Reyes (Spain) 15:20 WIB - Qualifying for Group A Class 4 - Adyos Astan vs Fadal Lis (Poland) Tentative - Qualifying for Group A Class 10 - Great Comet vs Gilles de la Bourdonnaye (France)