"We hope that at the 2018 Asian Para Games, Indonesia would be able to enter the top eight. My target is the 8th position," President Jokowi stated after reviewing a sitting volleyball exercise at the Gelora Bung Karno Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday.
The president noted that missing the target was not an issue, especially since it is set higher.
"It is okay to come in the top eight. There is no problem to reach the top four. Missing the target should not be the case because of the achievement being lower but it should be higher," Jokowi, the former governor of Jakarta, remarked.
The president admitted to have reviewed the training of Indonesian athletes, who will compete in the 2018 Asian Para Games.
"I also observed the badminton training. We also saw the shooting one, and this time I saw the hard training of the sitting volleyball athletes," he noted.
The 2018 Asian Para Games Organizing Committee (Inapgoc) had earlier expressed readiness to carry out these activities in Jakarta and its surroundings on October 6-13, 2018.
Inapgoc Chairperson Raja Sapta Oktohari stated after a limited cabinet meeting at the Bogor Palace on Friday that the Inapgoc had reported on the readiness to President Widodo.
According to Oktohari, the Indonesian people, especially Inapgoc, are ready to receive guests for the 2018 Asian Para Games.
"There are some five thousand athletes and officials of which 1,100 are wheelchair users, eight thousand volunteers, five thousand field workers, and 800 national and international media representatives," he revealed.
Meanwhile, Minister of Youth and Sports Imam Nahrawi noted that the Asian Games were held at the Bung Karno Stadium, JIExpo Kemayoran, and Sentul Circuit.
"We hope our ranking would rise from ninth to seventh, with the acquisition of 16-19 medals from 18 sports," he added.
Reporting by Agus Salim
Editing by Andi Abdussalam, Eliswan
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
