JABAR EKSPRES – A total of six Indonesian wave surfing athletes participated in the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying event, the ISA World Surfing Games 2023 which was held in El Salvador from May 31 to June 7, 2023
The six Indonesian surfers who are struggling to pursue tickets to the 2024 Paris Olympics are Rio Waida, Hairil Anwar, I Ketut Agus, Lidia Kato, Taina Angel, and Kailani Johnson.
“170 male surfers from 63 countries compete in a four men heat system to compete for the highest ranking for the athlete’s respective continent of origin. Only one male and female Olympic ticket per continent,” said Indonesian wave surfing national team head coach Arya Subyakto to Antara via instant message, Wednesday.
So, Arya explained, the position of Indonesian athletes must be higher than their rivals from the Asian continent, namely Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, India, Maldives, Iran, China and Afghanistan.
“Japan and the Philippines are strong opponents. But to be the highest ranked we are pitted against opponents from all over the world from the early rounds,” said Arya.
“Our chance is definitely there. Just hopefully nature is on our side.”
At the 2022 ISA World Surfing Games held in Huntington Beach, California, United States, last September, Rio Waida won a silver medal.
Rio came close to securing a men’s slot at the 2024 Paris Olympics after finishing second in the final round.
Meanwhile, the 2023 ISA World Surfing Games, which was attended by 63 countries, was inaugurated by International Surfing Association (ISA) President Fernando Aguerre on Tuesday afternoon local time or Wednesday morning WIB.
Four country representatives, namely the Czech Republic, India, Latvia, and Mauritius, poured their sand into one container as a symbol of the peaceful meeting of countries in the world through surfing.
“The world needs more love, more unity, less hate, less war, and less violence. The next ten days in El Salvador are an example and proof that a better world is not only desirable, but also possible,” Aguerre said, quoted from the official ISA website.
