JABAR EKSPRES –Chef de Mission (CdM) of the Indonesian Contingent, Andi Herman said, the condition of the Red and White athletes was ready “combat” to face the ASEAN Para Games XII/2023 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on June 3-9.
“We are very ready, both from the physical and mental aspects. There is a support team that always accompanies psychologists, masseurs, doctors, and other support personnel to maintain the condition of athletes so that they are ready to compete,” Andi Herman said in a written statement from NPC Indonesia received in Jakarta on Tuesday (5/30).
Indonesia, Andi continued, is striving to make history with a hat trick or three consecutive overall champions at the largest disability sports party in Southeast Asia.
“This will be a historical record that is difficult to match by other countries,” Andi added.
In order to achieve the overall champion target, the Indonesian contingent will try to win a minimum of 121 gold medals with a composition of 268 athletes who will participate in 12 sports, namely para-tennis, para-badminton, para-table tennis, para-wrestling, weight lifting, blind judo, para-chess, sitting volleyball, cp soccer, boccia, wheelchair basketball, and goalball.
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“The target is in accordance with the calculations and results of training and try outs so far. That number is greater than what we targeted before when we hosted (ASEAN Para Games 2022) with 104 gold medals,” Andi said.
In two editions of the ASEAN Para Games, Indonesia was empowered by always being the overall champion. At the ASEAN Para Games IX/2017 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Red and White squad brought home 126 gold, 75 silver and 50 bronze.
At that time, Indonesia beat host Malaysia who came second with 90 gold, 85 silver and 83 bronze. Thailand is in third place by packing 68 gold, 73 silver and 95 bronze.
Then, Indonesia successfully defended its title as defending champion when it hosted the ASEAN Para Games XI/2022 in Solo, Central Java, by pocketing 175 gold, 144 silver and 107 bronze.
