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Underdog Rian ready to dethrone world-class table tennis opponents at ASEAN Para Games
Though his name can't be found in any global rankings, table tennis athlete Muhammad Rian Prahasta is confident that he can defeat his world-ranked opponents at the ASEAN Para Games in the Philippines in March.
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Muhammad Rian Prahasta (left) trains with his partner during a table tennis training camp in Solo Baru in Surakarta, Central Java. (JP/Dicky Christanto)
T
hat his name is not listed in any world rankings of para-athletes in table tennis has not held back Muhammad Rian Prahasta, who has just one goal at the ASEAN Para Games in the Philippines in March next year: to win gold.
“I am up and ready. Thanks to the long yet effective time spent training, I have been able to study many playing scenarios while training my endurance at the same time. God willing, I am optimistic about bringing home three gold medals,” Rian told The Jakarta Post during a recent visit.
He acknowledged that his name could not be found in any rankings since he had yet to compete in a world-class table tennis competition. He said a lack of funding and sponsorships was the reason behind this.
“Therefore, I learned to know my place. I may not be able to attain world-class dreams as a para-athlete, but I will do my best for whatever is within reach.”
Despite this, Rian has been able to walk the walk. He brought home two gold medals – one in singles, one in team – from the 2017 ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur. At the 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta, he bagged a gold and a silver.
Thanks to the medals, he said, he was able to build a two-story house in Sumedang, West Java, his hometown. He also bought a car. Rian, now also a civil servant candidate at the Youth and Sports Ministry, has a left leg that is bigger than his right.
“I will ask for a replacement once I get the promotion as a civil servant. I want to stay in Sumedang with my family,” he said.
