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Indonesian archers gear up for Tokyo Olympics with 1988’s silver in mind
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Aim and shoot: Indonesian archers Riau Ega Agatha (left) and Diananda Choirunisa (right) flank Indonesian Archery Association (Perpani) chief Kelik Wirawan during the Olympic Movement in Action event at the Gelora Bung Karno sports complex in Jakarta on Aug. 2. (JP/Ramadani Saputra)
W
ay before legendary Indonesian badminton players Susy Susanti and Alan Budikusuma took home two gold medals from the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Indonesian archery trio Kusuma Wardhani, Lilies Handayani and Nurfitriyana Saiman had earned a silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
With that fine memory in their minds, the country’s current archery aces Diananda Choirunisa and Riau Ega Agatha are motivated to shoot their best at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, where both have secured a spot in the individual event.
“At that time [in 1988] with all the limitations they had, including the limited equipment, they were able to win the medal. Now we have more advanced facilities, we should also deliver,” Diananda said recently.
“Since the beginning, my biggest dream of being an athlete has been to compete at the Olympics. And now the opportunity has come, why don’t we [make the most of it?].”
With their individual spots at the Tokyo Olympics already secured, the next task for Diananda and Riau is to get the squad a spot in the team event, with the final qualification tournament to be held in Berlin next year.
The national archery squad is currently staying at the Army Special Forces (Kopassus) complex in Cijantung, East Jakarta. The area is considered perfect for training, which requires unparalleled focus.
Diananda, Riau and their teammates are undergoing a rigorous training program that not only focuses on their technical skill, but also their physical stamina.
