"Asian Para Games athletes that perform well will get the same bonus as those of the Asian Games atletes. So, there will be no difference," he noted, while visiting a national training center for Asian Para Games badminton players at Hartono Trade Center in Solo Baru, Grogol Sukoharjo, Central Java.
An Indonesian gold medalist in the Asian Games 2018 was awarded around US$100 thousand in bonus.
Jokowi was accompanied by Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, and President of National Paralympic Committee Senny Marbun during the visit.
On the occasion, he also took an opportunity to talk to some athletes and even tried table tennis.
He noted that he came to the training center to monitor the preparations of athletes to achieve success in the Asian Para Games 2018, which will soon begin.
"I saw preparations been carried out in badminton and table tennis, which are expected to produce gold medals for Indonesia" he remarked.
He hoped athletes who have worked very hard would be able to meet the target set at 16 gold medals or even more than that.
"We expect Indonesia to rank among the top seven at the 2018 Asian Para Games. Indonesia ranked in the ninth position at the 2014 Asian Para Games in Incheon, South Korea," Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi revealed.
At the 2014 Asian Para Games, Indonesia collected a total of nine gold medals, 11 silver medals, and 18 bronze medals.
A total of 42 countries, with 2,800 athletes, 1,800 officials, and 500 media, both domestic and foreign, will participate in the 2018 Asian Para Games to be held in Jakarta from Oct 6-13.
The 2018 Asian Para Games will offer 18 sports, namely basketball, volleyball, fencing, table tennis, swimming, shooting, judo, cycling, chess, weightlifting, bowling, goalball, badminton, running, archery, boccia, handball, and tennis.
Reporting by Bambang Dwi Marwoto
Editing by Yoseph Hariyadi, Otniel
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
