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Indonesia sends small squad to first World Beach Games
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Acting youth and sports minister Hanif Dhakiri (right) hands an Indonesian flag to Team Indonesia contingent chief Hellen Sarita de Lima in an official send-off in Jakarta on Tuesday. Indonesia sent 12 athletes to compete in the inaugural World Beach Games in Doha, Qatar. (Antara/Hafidz Mubarak A)
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eam Indonesia is to only deploy 12 athletes to compete in three sports at the inaugural World Beach Games in Doha, Qatar from Oct. 12 to 17, setting a goal of one gold medal from karate in the women’s kata category.
Acting youth and sports minister Hanif Dhakiri officially sent the squad off, which is led by Indonesian Sports Committee (KOI) acting secretary-general Hellen Sarita De Lima, from the ministry’s building in Jakarta on Tuesday. KOI chief Erick Thohir also attended the ceremony.
“[Indonesia’s participation] in the World Beach Games is a moment for us to improve our achievement in beach sports, as well as to promote the country, which plans to bid for hosting the 2032 Olympic Games,” said Hanif.
The 12 athletes are Jovita Elizabeth, Dewa Ayu Made Sriartha Kusuma, Dyah Lestari and Christie Apriyani in women’s 3x3 basketball, Ahmad Zigi Zaresta Yuda in men’s karate kata and Nawar Kautsar Mastura in women’s kata and Tio Kesuma Sentosa, Rendy Verdian Licardo, I Ketut Ardana, Yosi Ariel Firnanda, Gunawan Dewantoro and Yogi Hermawan in 4x4 beach volleyball.
Nawar expressed her hope of doing well in the games, despite having had limited time to prepare as she only started training in early September.
“I will prove that I can compete with other top world karateka,” said Nawar, the 172nd-ranked karateka in world kata.
The first World Beach Games, which were initiated by the Association of National Olympic Committees, are to contest 15 sports, including sports climbing’s bouldering category, beach wrestling and beach tennis. As many as 1,237 athletes from 97 countries are to take part in the event.
