JABAR EKSPRES –Special Olympics Indonesia (SOIna) swimming athlete Arsyad Al Banjari won gold and bronze medals at the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games (SOWSG) Berlin, Germany.
He won a gold medal in the 100-meter butterfly Level B with a time of 01:23.28 and a bronze medal in the 100-meter breaststroke Level A with a time of 01:23.45.
His success in achieving achievements in the world event was due to strong motivation from within him to make his parents proud.
He was also able to repay the trust given by the Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora RI) Dito Ariotedjo when assigned to compete in SOWSG 2023 Berlin by making the nation and state proud.
“Alhamdulillah, I am very happy and this is my first time competing at the world level. Thank you Mr. Menpora Dito for the trust given to me,” said Arsyad Al Banjari, as broadcast on the official website of the Indonesian Ministry of Youth and Sports, Friday (6/23).
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“My motivation to be able to excel here is my parents. I want to make my parents proud. I am originally from people who don’t have. My father was a garbage collector in people’s complexes.”
Not only the experience of becoming a champion at the world level through the SOWSG 2023 Berlin multi-bracket, the athlete from South Kalimantan has his own impression when facing opponents from other countries.
“It’s definitely exciting because we compete against other countries. Of course the opponents are heavy, but Alhamdulillah in the butterfly style we can leave our 25-meter opponents with a difference of 18 seconds, if in the breaststroke I only lost 1.04 seconds to the gold one, I recorded a time of 01:23.45 while the gold medalist recorded a time of 01:22.41, “said Arsyad.
To fellow athletes, he advised to be tireless in practicing and struggling to prepare to defend the Red and White in the international arena.
