2021 National Sports Day, President: Achieve More in Sports through a Systematical and Sustainable Fostering

President Joko Widodo give remarks virtually on the Commemoration of the 38th National Sports Day (09/09/2021) (Photo: PR Office of Ministry of Youth and Sports/Raiky)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo emphasized that a systematical and sustainable fostering should be kept doing in order to develop great sporting talents who make greater achievements that uphold the good name of Indonesia at international level.

“More achievements in sports should be made. Achievements do not come instantly, but they are made through a systematical and sustainable process of upstream to downstream fostering,” President said in his remarks on the Commemoration of the 38^th National Sports Day 2021 on Thursday (09/09/2021) virtually.

President also pointed out that we need to focus on our efforts to develop great sporting talents, so there will be more athletes who make achievements, uphold the good name of Indonesia at international level, and have great potential to win Olympic medals. Indonesia, he said, has many potential athletes in various sports, such as badminton, weightlifting, sport climbing, archery, shooting, karate, taekwondo, cycling, athletics, swimming, canoeing, and artistic gymnastics, as well as pencak silat and wushu.

Therefore, I invite all related elements to work in synergy to create a more modern ecosystem of sports industry, to hold many sports competitions that are healthy and boosting performance, and to find great young talents. Those things will lay a strong foundation for the sports development in Indonesian,” he said.

This year’s National Sports Day is commemorated with achievements of Indonesian athletes who competed in 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, and make us proud. President mentioned that the achievements have inspired the nation.

“Not only making us proud, but also in the future, they will prompt more glorious achievements in sports,” he said.

On the glorious achievements, the Head of State appreciated the athletes and also the coaches who have developed Indonesian great talents.

“My highest appreciation and gratitude to the athletes for their struggle and hard work, and to the coaches for their determination to develop great talents that uphold the good name of the country through their achievements in sports,” he said.

Concluding his remarks, the Head of State extended his greetings on the 38^th National Sports Day to all elements that have supported sports in our country.

“I would like to say happy 38^th International Sports Day to all of Indonesian sportspersons, all of Indonesian people who always support the improvement of sports in our country, Indonesia,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali in his report said that the Ministry has formulated Great Design of National Sports as guidelines in fostering sports. It is a follow up to a directive given by President Joko Widodo at the 2020 Sports National Day commemoration.

“On the commemoration of the 38^th Sports national Day, we have made history. The Government has issued Presidential Regulation as a legal protection to implement Great Design of National Sports. Precisely, today on 9 September 2021, President Joko Widodo has signed Presidential Regulation No. 86 of 2021 on Great Design of National Sports,” the Minister said.

Minister of Youth and Sports explained that the formulation of Great Design of National Sports has involved various related parties in sports, such as National Sports Committee of Indonesia, Olympic Committee of Indonesia, Recreation Sports for Indonesian Community Committee, distinguished university professors in sports, sports practitioners, and heads of sports organizations.

The commemoration of 2021 Sports National Day was attended by participants virtually and also live in POPKI Sports Center, Cibubur, Jakarta Timur.

For your information, at the Tokyo Olympics, Indonesian contingent has won five medals; one gold medal, one silver medal, and three bronze medals, and also ranked 55. The gold medal earned by Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu in badminton is the first gold medal won by Indonesia in women’s double discipline in the Olympics Games.

Indonesian contingent in Tokyo Paralympics also got achievements that make us proud. Indonesia has won nine medals; two gold medals, three silver medals, and four bronze medals, and also ranked 43. The gold medal earned by Leani Ratri Oktila/Khalimatus Sadiyah in SL3-SU5 women’s double parabadminton has been long waited by Indonesia for four decades. Previously, at the 1980 Arnhem Paralympics, Indonesian team won two gold medals earned respectively by Yan Soebiyanto in lawn bowls and R.S. Arlen in weightlifting.

Below are Indonesian medalists in both events:

2020 Tokyo Olympics:

1. Greysia Polii/Apriyani Rahayu in women’s double badminton (gold medal);
2. Eko Yuli Irawan in men’s 61kg weightlifting (silver medal);
3. Windy Cantika Aisah in women’s 49kg weightlifting (bronze medal);
4. Rahmat Erwin Abdullah in men’s 73kg weightlifting (bronze medal);
5. Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in men’s single badminton (bronze medal).

2020 Tokyo Paralympics

1. Leani Ratri Oktila/Khalimatus Sadiyah in women’s double SL3-SU5 parabadminton (gold medal);
2. Leani Ratri Oktila/Hary Susanto in mixed double SL3-SU5 parabadminton (gold medal);
3. Ni Nengah Widiasih in women’s 41kg powerlifting (silver medal);
4. Dheva Anrimusthi in men’s single SU5 parabadminton (silver medal);
5. Leani Ratri Oktila in women’s single SL4 parabadminton (silver medal);
6. Saptoyogo Purnomo in men’s 100m – T37 athletics (bronze medal);
7. David Jacobs in men’s single class 10 table tennis (bronze medal);
8. Suryo Nugroho in men’s single SU5 parabadminton (bronze medal);
9. Fredy Setiawan in men’s single SL4 parabadminton (bronze medal).

Happy National Sports Day! (FID/UN) (AW/LW)