ASEAN Para Games 2017: Reaching the top

Mon, September 25, 2017 / 03:35 pm

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Track-and- field athlete Rijal Bagus, covers his head from the scorching sun on the track at the national training center in Surakarta, Central Java, during the lead-up to the 2017 ASEAN Para Games. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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A paralympic athlete descends the stairs of the NPC training center after training exercises. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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A trainer carries a racing wheelchair after training exercises. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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A swimming athlete warms up prior to diving into the pristine pool at the NPC training center. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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Paralympic athlete Ratifah poses in a line-up showing the variety of prosthetic limbs worn by athletes of the Indonesian delegation. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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Red-and- White swimming athletes pose for a team photo after their training session for the 2017 ASEAN Para Games. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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An NPC official pushes wheels an athlete to board the bus as the Indonesian delegation departs on their journey to the top. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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Three athletes maneuver their wheelchairs up a special ramp at the NPC Indonesia Office in Surakarta, Central Java. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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Crutches lie discarded alongside a track as a track-and- field athlete trains for the wheelchair race. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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An athlete wears a T-shirt with motivational words printed on it, which begins humorously with, “I hate every minute of training...,” and ends with the statement: “I will suffer now and live the rest of my life as a champion." JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan

Physical disabilities are no obstacle to athletes of the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) in competing at international multi-sport events. Indonesian athletes proudly represented the country at the latest edition of the ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur, which took place 17 days after the SEA Games 2017 in the Malaysian capital.

Our athletes competed against their regional rivals in several sporting events such as track and field, swimming, weightlifting, badminton, chess, table tennis, celebral palsy soccer, archery and sitting volleyball.

Hailing from across the archipelago from North Sumatra to Papua – from Jakarta to Central Java and West Java, from Kalimantan to Bali and Maluku – their unifying goal was to give their best shot for their country.

A total of 250 paralympics athletes trained for 10 months in preparation for the biennial games at the national training center in Surakarta, Central Java, provided by the Youth and Sports Ministry.

As of Thursday, Sept. 21, the Red-and- White squad had collected 91 gold, 53 silver and 38 bronze
medals to lead the medal tally. Host Malaysia tailed in second place with 71 golds, 65 silvers and 55
bronzes.

Indonesia aims to claim 107 golds to emerge overall champion of the 2017 ASEAN Para Games,
which will end on Saturday, Sept. 23. [yan]