Jakarta, The Indonesia Post – Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) asked the Indonesian contingent to reach the top 10 at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
The target requested by Jokowi is higher than the target set by the Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Dito Ariotejo, who announced achieving a top 12 ranking.
“For me, it’s really far away. So don’t be 12th, I ask to be in the top 10,” said Jokowi when releasing the 576th contingent of the 19th Asian Games in the courtyard of the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday.
Jokowi explained that at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018, Indonesia managed to rank fourth.
“I know that being a host and not being a host is different, I know. So my target is again to get into the top 10,” he said.
President Jokowi believes that his calculations in determining the target for the 19th Asian Games will not be wrong.
“Happy competition and on behalf of the people, nation and state. I look forward to the achievements and as much gold as we can achieve,” said Jokowi.
Minister of Youth and Sports Dito Ariotejo explained that of the 576 contingents, there were 413 Indonesian athletes who would take part in 30 sports out of a total of 40 sports being competed.
Dito said that his party had set a target of being in the top 12 because there were no competitions in a number of the Red and White contingent’s leading sports in Hangzhou, such as pencak silat.
“At the 19th Asian Games, Indonesia has the potential to lose gold, firstly from the three sports that are not contested, namely pencak silat, paragliding and jet skiing. Secondly because the ‘cyling MTB’ competition number is not contested,” said Dito.
The Red and White contingent on Tuesday started their struggle in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games through a number of matches in cricket, beach volleyball, men’s volleyball and men’s football.
Also present at the release of the contingent were Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora RI) Dito Ariotedjo, General Chair of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) Raja Sapta Oktohari, Indonesian Chef de Mission (CdM) at the 2022 Asian Games Hangzhou Basuki Hadimuljono, and leaders of sports federations competing in the 2022 Asian Games. (mhn/bbs)
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