Indonesia currently has 91 gold medals and still has the potential to add two more. Vietnam, which is in third place, has 86 gold medals and could still win up to three additional golds.
Thohir said that even in a worst-case scenario in which Indonesia fails to secure any more gold medals while Vietnam wins all its remaining gold medal opportunities, Indonesia’s position in the standings would remain unchanged.
“If Vietnam wins all three remaining gold medals while we stay at our current total, they would have 89 golds, while we already have 91. Therefore, Indonesia’s runner-up position is effectively confirmed,” Thohir said in a statement on Saturday.
According to him, Indonesia’s second-place finish at the SEA Games marks a historic achievement, as the country last reached the same position at the 1995 SEA Games.
“In previous SEA Games, particularly when Indonesia was not the host, our average ranking was third or fourth,” he said.
Thohir acknowledged that the achievement could not be separated from the support of President Prabowo Subianto, who increased the budget for the 2025 SEA Games, allowing Indonesia to send its best athletes to the competition.
He added that the additional Rp1 billion, or about US$58 thousand, bonus incentive for gold medalists has also served as a strong motivation for athletes to compete at their best and bring pride to the nation.
“The President’s initiative to provide an additional Rp1 billion incentive for gold medalists also encourages athletes to think about their future, as many parents still see sports careers as offering limited long-term security,” Thohir said.
Earlier, he said bonuses for silver and bronze medalists at the 2025 SEA Games are still being calculated by the government and will be announced at a later date.
However, Thohir emphasized that gold medals remain the primary benchmark in the SEA Games medal standings. As a result, government appreciation continues to focus primarily on gold medal achievements.
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Translator: Fajar Satriyo, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Primayanti
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