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Asian Para Games: Aris wins silver in swimming
Indonesian swimmer Aris won the silver medal in the men's 100-meter breaststroke SB-7 at the Asian Para Games.
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Indonesian swimmer Aris (JP/Gemma Holliani Cahya)
I
ndonesian swimmer Aris has won a silver medal after clocking in at 1 minute and 34.52 seconds in the men's 100-meter breaststroke SB-7 (limited leg function), only seconds after Chinese swimmer Chia Huang Xianquan, who snatched the gold at 1:21.21.
Aris, who was an underdog in the race, said he was grateful for his achievement, although he was hoping to do better.
"I was not targeted by my coach [to win any medals], so I'm grateful that i can bring home the silver medal. Hopefully next time I could bring home the gold," Aris told the media on Monday. "This is my only way to serve my country."
Aris started his journey as a swimmer in 2015 by accident when some friends introduced him to the sport. He has competed in many international competitions and won two golds at the 2017 ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur.
"Winning a silver medal in the Asian Para Games is so important for me because for this event, I've left my family for 10 months to join the team and the training center in Surakarta [Central Java]," he said. "My next target is to compete at the ASEAN Para Games in the Philippines. But my dream is to join the Tokyo Paralympics."
Wearing a green neon cap, the 31-year-old swimmer from Jepara, a coastal town in northern Central Java, walked into the swimming pool with a big smile on his face, clapping his hands and asking the crowd to cheer for him.
"I was actually very nervous the whole time, but I thought we are the host of this amazing event, I must not show my nervousness to the public," he laughed. (yan)
