Sports Ministry Highlights Consistency as Key to Maintain Olympics Medal-winning Tradition

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Consistency and focus are the main things for athletes and sports federations to maintain Indonesia’s gold medal-winning tradition in the Olympics, stated an expert staff of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

“Maintaining consistency in Paris (Olympics) is a target for us all. Apart from that, Indonesia needs more sports besides badminton, archery, and weightlifting to make achievements,” the ministry’s Expert Staff for Youth and Sports Innovation Yohan said on Saturday, February 17.

He conveyed the statement at a seminar and discussion event of the Sports Journalists Section of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI).

Yohan noted that Indonesia has so far bagged a total of 37 medals in the Olympics.

Of the total 37 medals, 21 are from badminton, 15 are from weightlifting, and 1 is from archery.

The first Olympic medal for Indonesia was bagged by Kusuma Wardani, Lilis Handayani, and Nurfitriyana Saiman, who won silver in the women’s team archery event at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Badminton is the sport where Indonesia has been most consistent in winning Olympic gold medals.

Susi Susanti, Alan Budikusuma, Rexy Mainaky/Ricky Subagja, Tony Gunawan/Candra Wijaya, Taufik Hidayat, Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan, Tontowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir, and Greysia Polii/Apriyani Rahayu are the country’s badminton athletes that have won gold medals at the Olympics.

Yohan acknowledged that maintaining Indonesia’s medal-winning tradition, especially for Olympic gold medals, is not an easy thing to do.

To this end, relevant parties, including the government, have prepared strategies and road maps, he said.

One of them is Law Number 11 of 2022 on Sports and Presidential Regulation Number 86 of 2021 on National Sports Grand Design (DBON).

"Presidential Regulation on DBON has been considered with a policy direction of long-term and collaborative development to increase the nation's competitiveness in sports," he said.

The aim, he said, is to increase the culture of sports in the community, improve achievements, and advance a sport-based national economy.

The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics will be held from July 26 to August 11.

Six Indonesian athletes from six sports have already qualified for the Paris Olympics: Arif Dwi Pangestu and Diananda Choirunisa (archery), Rifda Irfanaluthfi (gymnastics), Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi and Rahmad Adi Mulyono (rock climbing), and Fathur Gustafian (shooting).

ANTARA