Indonesian lifter Rizki Juniansyah reacts after winning the gold medal in the men’s 73 kg weightlifting event at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Aug. 8, 2024. - Photo: Reuters
JAKARTA: Thursday (Aug 8) was a golden day for Indonesian sports, with lifter Rizki Juniansyah and speed climber Veddriq Leonardo winning gold medals in their respective events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the fruit, observers say, of the country’s support for typically overlooked sports.
It was the first time Indonesia won two gold medals at an Olympics since the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain.
The latest medal was won by Rizki, in his Olympic debut, after he lifted a total of 354 kilograms in the men’s 73 kg event, beating reigning champion Shi Zhiyong of China.
“I’m very grateful to God for making history with the first gold medal in weightlifting [for Indonesia] in the Olympics,” Rizki said in a statement from the Indonesian Olympic Committee (IOC) on Friday.
“Thank you. This is for the 79th anniversary of Indonesia's Independence Day.”
Rizki achieved 155 kg in his snatch, 10 kg behind Shi. But the Chinese lifter failed to complete any of his attempts at 191 kg.
Rizki, on the other hand, managed to lift 199 kg in the clean and jerk, winning him the gold medal, while also setting an Olympic record.
“When I was behind in the snatch, I was nervous,” Rizki said in a statement from the Indonesian Olympic Committee (IOC) on Friday.
“But I was able to pick myself up and my spirit for the clean and jerk.”
But the lifter from Serang, Banten, paid respect to Shi, sympathizing with his struggle with the clean and jerk.
"I was touched because he is also my good friend. He is my senior,” he said.
“I respect him for having competed in the Olympics three times and won two gold medals."
Rizki’s gold medal came after speed climber Veddriq obtained Indonesia’s first in Paris earlier on Thursday.
It was also Indonesia’s first gold in speed climbing.
The 27-year-old defeated China’s Wu Peng by just two hundredths of a second, scaling the 15-meter wall at the Le Bourget venue in 4.75 seconds.
“This is a new sport, but we’re given the trust, which we can prove by winning the gold medal,” Veddriq said, adding that he felt grateful for, and proud of, the achievement.
He thanked the coaching team and his family and friends for their support.
Veddriq’s gold medal was also Indonesia’s first in a sport other than badminton.
Better than Tokyo Indonesia’s first medal at Paris 2024 was a bronze won by Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in the women’s singles badminton event.
Gregoria won the medal after Carolina Marin of Spain withdrew from the competition because of a knee injury.
Her withdrawal automatically put Gregoria in third place in the event.
It was Indonesia’s first medal in the event since the Beijing 2008 Olympics. With two gold medals and one bronze, Indonesia was sitting in 28th place by nation in the Paris 2024 medal chart as of Friday afternoon.
The country still has a chance of adding one more medal as lifter Nurul Akmal will compete in the women's 81 kg event on Sunday.
Indonesia’s current medal position is higher than its final rank in Tokyo 2020, when it ended up in 57th place with one gold, one silver and three bronze medals.
The last time Indonesia won more than one gold was in Barcelona 1992, when Susi Susanti and Alan Budikusuma, who would later marry, won top prizes in the badminton women’s and men’s singles events, respectively.
“Indonesia should be grateful that we have a history of gold medals outside of badminton,” said Indonesia’s chef de mission for Paris 2024, Anindya Bakrie, in a statement.
“The victories show that Indonesia can compete with anyone, including [athletes from] the United States and China,” he continued.
The gold medals for speed climbing and weightlifting should open eyes about the potential of sports beyond badminton in international sporting events, said sports professor Djoko Pekik Irianto of Yogyakarta State University (UNY), especially as the country won only one badminton medal this year with nine athletes competing in six events.
But, he added, the country would have to send more athletes to the next Summer Games if it wanted more medals.
“Athlete training needs to be more extensive, while strong financial support is also needed because athlete development is costly,” Djoko told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Fallen fighters Rizki and Veddriq’s gold medals came after several athletes failed to win as a result of injuries.
Rizki’s senior and Olympic medalist Eko Yuli Irawan did not finish his final lift on Wednesday because of an injury to his right thigh.
The 35-year-old lifter was the oldest in the men’s 61 kg category. It was his fifth Olympic appearance.
Speed climber Rajiah Sallsabillah, who was suffering from a back injury, also failed to secure a bronze medal in a playoff against Aleksandra Kalucka of Poland.
Rifda Irfanaluthfi, Indonesia’s first Olympic gymnast, also competed in the women’s artistic gymnastics in Paris, despite her injuries.
During her performance, her coach, former gymnast Eva Novalina Butarbutar, helped her reach the crossbar. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
