"We must focus on Olympic sports to ensure that the goals outlined in the National Sports Grand Design can be achieved," said Marciano Norman, Chairman of KONI, on Thursday in Padang.
Marciano reflected on the recent National Sports Week held in Aceh and North Sumatra, where 65 sports were contested. From the evaluation, it was deemed that this number was too large, necessitating adjustments and a shift in focus towards Olympic sports.
This step is part of the National Sports Grand Design, which aims for Indonesia to rank among the top 10 nations in the world by 2032, and in the top 5 by 2044.
Therefore, Marciano emphasized the need for a focused and strategic policy that prioritizes the development of Olympic sports while still considering other sports disciplines.
As an example, Indonesia ranked 39th in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
During his visit to Padang, Marciano expressed hope that Indonesia would be in the top 20 rankings at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, USA.
To achieve this target, the KONI Chairman stated that Indonesia's national team must have a strong developmental team, with athletes nurtured at the regional level, including through provincial, district, and city KONI programs.
He also urged the West Sumatra KONI to develop targeted training programs to produce athletes who could potentially join the national team for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
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Translator: Zulfikar, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Primayanti
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