Indonesia targets four gold medals in 2026 Asian Games

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2 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia targets at least four gold medals at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir stated.

During the press conference at the Presidential Palace complex on Wednesday, Thohir explained that Indonesia won seven gold medals in the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

However, three sports events that contributed to Indonesia’s gold medals in 2022 were not held this year, namely two dragon boat and one shooting event.

“Hence, with the existing matrix, we target four gold medals. I will not say from which sports events,” he stated.

President Prabowo Subianto earlier officially dispatched Indonesia’s 430-strong contingent competing in the 2026 Asian Games during the send-off ceremony at the Palace.

Besides Minister Thohir, the ceremony was attended by several leaders of the national sports federation, including Airlangga Hartarto from the Indonesian Wushu Association, Yenny Wahid of the Indonesian Climbing Federation, Sugiono of the Indonesian Pencak Silat Federation, and Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan of the Athletics Federation of Indonesia.

Yenny Wahid told journalists that her organization targets three medals from climbing, including two gold medals.

“Three medals, with two gold medals, but I hope all the three will be gold. If not, at least we reach a podium finish,” she stated.

Meanwhile, Rosan Roeslani, who heads the Indonesian Weightlifting Federation, expressed hope that weightlifting will contribute at least one gold medal in the 2026 Asian Games.

President Prabowo Subianto pledged to award Rp3 billion (over US$171,000) in bonuses to Indonesian athletes winning gold medals at the 2026 Asian Games, scheduled to take place from September to October.

While motivating Team Indonesia to clinch more Asian Games gold medals, the president also assured that the government pays equal attention to athletes and coaches presenting silver and bronze medals in previous international sporting events.