At the 32nd edition of the biennial sporting event, Indonesia managed to clinch 87 gold, 80 silver, and 109 bronze medals, surpassing the medal targets set by the Youth and Sports Ministry and President Widodo of 60 and 69 gold medals, respectively.
“The President instilled confidence in us and all the athletes to give their best and surpass the targets. The results have been spectacular, especially given the fact that we bagged a gold medal in football," Oktohari said in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Wednesday.
At the 2023 SEA Games, Indonesia recorded a remarkable improvement in team sports with the country's contingent managing to bag gold medals in them, he added. This was remarkable, considering that Indonesia had been relying on single athlete sports for winning golds.
Indonesia’s gold haul started with the hockey team, and then the cricket, men's volleyball, and women's basketball teams, along with the phenomenal win in men's football. The women's basketball team ended a 64-year wait for gold, while the men's football team snagged its first medal in 32 years at the SEA Games.
However, Oktohari said that there had indeed been concerns about Indonesia achieving its medals target, considering that several of Indonesia's mainstay sports, such as rowing, archery, and shooting, were not contested at this year's SEA Games.
"We lost a lot of potential medals because of the exclusion of several sports branches. Had they been all competed, we might have become the general champions," he added.
At the conclusion of the 2023 SEA Games, Vietnam emerged as the general champion with 136 golds, 105 silvers, and 114 bronzes. Thailand was next with 108 golds, 96 silvers, and 108 bronzes, followed by Indonesia in third place.
Meanwhile, host Cambodia finished fourth in the medal standings with 81 golds, 74 silvers, and 126 bronzes.
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Translator: Bayu Kuncahyo, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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