"This (team) consists of the best athletes that will be fielded at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. I would like to reiterate that discipline is required to translate hope and expectations into reality. We should make utmost efforts to bag gold medals," he affirmed.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Chairperson of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) Raja Sapta Oktohari, the Indonesian contingent's Chef de Mission (CdM) Basuki Hadimuljono, and representatives from the sport branches to be competed at the 19th edition of the sporting event.
Indonesia is delegating 413 athletes to vie for medals in various sports, including aquatics, athletics, weightlifting, basketball, badminton, bridge, chess, esports, wrestling, jujitsu, karate, kurash, shooting, bicycle racing, sport cycling, dragon boat, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, soft tennis, sepak takraw, wushu, beach volleyball, cricket, and football.
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The delegation is targeting to clinch at least 12 gold medals and finish in the top 12 in the final standings, a target lower than the feats achieved during the 2018 Asian Games, which was hosted by Indonesia, where the country managed to bag 31 gold medals, 24 silver medals, and 42 bronze medals.
The absence of several mainstay sports of Indonesia, including pencak silat, at this year's Asian Games was the reason behind the lowering of the target.
Team Indonesia will begin its quest for medals on Tuesday through cricket, men's and women's beach volleyball, and men's football.
"We all hope that Indonesia will be able to reach the target and emerge glorious at the 2022 Asian Games Hangzhou," CdM Hadimuljono stated.
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Translator: Arnidhya N, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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