Welcoming The Peacock Dance And Javanese Gamelan, The ASEAN Contingent For The Solo Games Begins To Arrive

The 2022 ASEAN Para Games (APG) contingent in Solo has started arriving at Adi Soemarmo International Airport (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The 2022 ASEAN Para Games (APG) contingent in Solo has started arriving at Adi Soemarmo International Airport in Boyolali, Central Java, Tuesday.

Upon arrival at the airport, the Myanmar contingent, followed by the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and Timor Leste, were greeted by peacock dances and Javanese gamelan.

According to Legal, Compliance, and Stakeholder Relations Manager Adi Soemarmo Airport Gerrie Razzaq, the Lao contingent had arrived the day before.

Gerrie said 1,279 athletes and officials arrived at Adi Soemarmo Airport in Boyolali, this Tuesday.

"The Brunei Darussalam contingent will arrive at Adi Soemarmo Airport on Wednesday (July 27) at around 14.01 WIB. Brunei from passenger data will send 22 athletes", Gerrie said in Solo, Tuesday, quoted by Antara.

Adi Soemarmo Airport and the Surakarta City Tourism Office collaborated to present gamelan attractions and traditional dances to welcome all the contingents.

They are divided into two lanes, namely wheelchair athletes and non-wheelchair athletes, and then at the same point in the international arrival hall.

Arriving at the airport, the athletes were recorded by the INASPOC Team and then delivered to their respective hotels according to the sport, followed by using 130 vehicles.

Malaysia's table tennis coach, Saqirin (37), said the contingent's preparations went smoothly, while the athletes never stopped preparing before heading to the ASEAN Para Games in Solo.

"Before the COVID-19 pandemic we had prepared ourselves and until now we have never stopped training", said Saqirin, adding that Malaysia had sent three athletes and had not set any targets.

All athletes and officials were immediately divided into lodging according to their sport.

Hotel Magalend Solo and Aston for athletes and archery officials, Hotel Swiss-Bel Saripetojo and Haris (athletics), Lor In (badminton), Alana (boccia), Lor In Dwangsa (chess), Novotel (CP football), Hotel Paragon (tennis court and weight lifting), Hotel Sunan (table tennis).

Kusuma Sahid (basketball), Sahid Jaya (goalball), Grand Hap (judo), Royal Heritage and Swiss Bel Gilingan (seated volleyball), Solia Zigna Laweyan (classifier), Haris and Arus Semarang (swimming).

The 2022 ASEAN Para Games will be joined by Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, Myanmar, Timor Leste, Brunei, Laos, Vietnam, and the host Indonesia.