Some 15 thousand athletes from 45 countries in Asia are competing in the 2018 Asian Games for pride and glory and are also chasing massive medal-winning cash bonuses.
The essence of the Asian Games is for athletes to compete hard, so they can bring pride to their country and shiny medals back.
On the first day of this international sporting event, the Indonesian contingent belted a surprise by coming in third place by collecting a gold and silver after China and South Korea.
Match after match continued until the fourth day, with the Indonesian position shifting to fifth place, with six gold, four silver, and seven bronze medals, while China was on top, followed by Japan, South Korea, and Iran.
Until day 9, Indonesia ranked below China, Japan, South Korea, and Iran, but on day 11, the athletes from the host country managed to rise to fourth position by shifting Iran down.
On the 11th day at 12 noon local time on Wednesday, Indonesia managed to collect 25 gold, 19 silver, and 29 bronze medals, while China`s position remained unchanged at the top of the medal tally, with 99 gold, 65 silver, and 48 bronze medals; followed by Japan, with 45 gold, 40 silver, and 62 bronze; and South Korea, with 32 gold, 40 silver, and 47 bronze.
Indonesia has exceeded the gold medal acquisition target and is likely to bag more gold medals in the matches on the 11th day of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang on Wednesday.
The path to bagging 30 gold medals while writing a new page in history in the journey of the Asian Games is still wide open for Indonesia.
On the day 11 of the Asian Games this Wednesday, a total 35 gold medals will be contested from the final number in 10 sports events: athletics, track racing, judo, kurash, diving, paragliding, pencak silat or traditional martial arts, artistic swimming, skateboarding, and soft tennis.
The biggest opportunity for the Indonesian contingent to add gold medals will come from the sports martial arts division that offers eight gold medals.
Of the eight final numbers competed on the last day, Indonesian martial arts athletes will compete in six numbers: single, double and squad (art number), female D class match number (60-65 kg), male C class (55-60 kg), and female B class (50-55 kg).
Earlier, the Indonesian martial arts athletes had won eight gold medals in the pencak silat branch final held at Padepokan Pencak Silat, TMII Jakarta, Monday.
The Indonesian martial arts athletes comprised women`s individual arts, men`s 85-90 kg, men`s team arts, men`s 50-55 kg class B, women`s 50-55 kg class B, men`s 55-60 kg class C, women`s 55-60 kg class C, and men`s 65-70 kg class E.
Puspa Arumsari won the first gold medal for Indonesia in pencak silat in the 2018 Asian Games after achieving the highest score in the women`s single finals.
Other Indonesian gold medalists include Yola Primadona Jampil and Hendy in the men`s doubles category; Nunu Nugraha, Asep Yuldan Sani, and Anggi Faisal Mubarok in the men`s arts team; Aji Bangkit Pamungkas in the men`s 85 kg; Adi Putra in the men`s class E of 65-70 kg; Iqbal Candra Pratam in the men`s D category of 60-65 kg; Sarah Tria Monita in the women`s C category of 55-60 kg; and Abdul Malik in the men`s B category of 50-55 kg.
The number of gold medals won by Indonesian athletes far exceeds the target of two gold set for the original sports branch of Indonesia. In fact, pencak silat is still very likely to add gold coffers.
Indonesian Pencak Silat Association Central Executive Board Chief Executive Edhy Prabowo remarked that the Indonesian contingent should not as yet rest on their laurels but must follow the instruction of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to win as many gold medals as possible.
President Jokowi expected the pencak silat athletes to clinch at least two gold medals in martial arts in the Asian Games being held from August 18 to September 2, 2018.
The youth affairs and sports minister had told the president that martial arts was targeted to contribute at least two gold medals in the Asian Games.
However, the head of state expressed hope that as many gold medals as possible would be won in the martial art sports and also expressed belief that the number of gold medals clinched will exceed the target.
As before, Malaysian and Vietnamese martial arts athletes remained the toughest rivals of Indonesia`s representatives in the gold medal race. Especially in the match number, three host fighters competed in the final, all facing Vietnam fighters.
For opportunities in other sports, Indonesian representatives still seem to have to fight extra hard to pursue medal gains, although the hope of winning gold is quite open in skateboarding.
For sports recently contested in at this Asian Games, two skateboarders entered the final in the park event, while another one named Sanggoe Dharma Tanjung topped the qualification standings in the street number.
Tanjung is expected to score high points and win gold, as long as he can maintain a strong mindset to perform well in the final round.
Editing by Bustanuddin
Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Andi Abdussalam
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
