Key To The Success Of Indonesian Marathons In Marrying The 2023 SEA Games Gold Medal

Indonesian marathon athlete, Odekta Elvina Naibaho. (Photo via Antara)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian athletic team has succeeded in making proud achievements at the 2023 SEA Games. Two gold medals from the marathon number were successfully married.

Two gold pieces from the marathon number for Indonesia were presented by Agus Prayogo in the men's number and Odekta Elvina Naibaho in the women's number after becoming the fastest and conquering hot weather of more than 37 degrees in the world cultural site area of Angkor Wat.

Agus arrived at the finish line with a time of 2 hours 32 minutes 59 seconds far from his best time record 2:21:09. The SEA Games record is still held by Indonesian athlete Eduardus Nabonone who was created at the Jakarta SEA Games in 1997 with a time of 2:20:27.

Meanwhile, Odekta won the Cambodian 2023 SEA Games at 2:48:14 a.m., still far from Ruwiyati's SEA Games record of 2:34:29 that was engraved in Thailand's Tokyo May in 1995.

"This success can be achieved thanks to the right preparation and strategy with a focus on winning not on the record time," said Indonesia marathon coach Wita Witarsa, as reported by Antara, Saturday, May 6.

"From the start we didn't think about a record because the air was very hot. That's why we focused on securing victory," said Wita at Siem Reap.

Meanwhile, the two athletes said it needed a hard struggle to achieve this achievement. Agus Prayogo and Odekta also acknowledged the severity of fighting the hot air of Angkor Wat.

"It was very hot, mas. I just tried to hold it back and thank God I got gold again," said Odekta, who also won gold at the 2021 Vietnam SEA Games.

Agus also said that the hot air was an obstacle for him to pedal faster so that the time he recorded was not good.

"Wow, the important thing is gold. If time is indeed difficult because it is very hot," said Agus.