Solo, Central Java (ANTARA) - The National Paralympics Committee of Indonesia (NPC Indonesia) unveiled on Sunday that it would send 130 athletes to the 2023 Asian Para Games (APG) in Hangzhou, China.

The athletes are scheduled to depart from Solo, Central Java, to China on October 16.

Deputy Secretary General of NPC Indonesia Rima Ferdianto said the 130 athletes will compete in 12 sports -- athletics, swimming, weight lifting, badminton, cycling, shooting, judo, boccia, chess, lawn bowls, archery, and table tennis.

The athletes' preparation had reached 95 percent as they had entered the phase of transitioning from pre-competition to competition. Therefore, the athletes had reduced the quantity of training, he said.

He explained that the send-off event for the athletes will be carried out on October 14, and will be attended by Youth and Sports Minister Dito Ariotedjo.

Ferdianto further said that the Indonesian contingent is scheduled to partake in the APG opening ceremony in China on October 22 and the closing ceremony on October 28.

According to him, the Indonesian contingent will return home on October 29.

Indonesia has set a target of gaining 20 gold medals and the top 10 at the Asian Para Games.

Badminton, lawn bowls, cycling, and chess remain expected to become the main sources of medals for Indonesia, he said.

"Due to China as the host country, (grabbing medals from) table tennis and other sports are very tough. We are facing world champions. China will win most of the medals," he remarked.

In the 2018 APG, during which Indonesia hosted the event, Indonesia targeted to rank seventh, but in the end, it was able to rank fifth.

"At that time, Indonesia, as the host, had an advantage. When it is not the host, that advantage will not exist. So, if NPC Indonesia could even get the top 10 position, that would be good," he explained.

Nevertheless, he hoped that Indonesia would be able to secure eighth place for this year's APG.

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Translator: Bambang Dwi, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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