One of them is the XVI National Paralympic Week (Peparnas) in West Papua on 5-13 November 2021, which further enhances the hope of increasing Indonesia’s disability sports achievements on the international stage with the emergence of new talents.
In practice, a lot of history has been created in the biggest sporting event in Indonesia, especially for these athletes with disabilities. Like the host Papua, which for the first time became the overall champion after collecting the most medals, namely 127 gold, 86 silver, and 92 bronze medals.
The Bumi Cenderawasih contingent won the highest achievement by defeating the defending champion West Java, who this time had to settle for second place with 110 gold, 92 silver, and 75 bronze.
Just a reminder, since the beginning the Indonesian NPC has carried out a successful mission of regeneration in the West Papua National National Park event. The concrete step taken is the division of classes between elite and national athletes.
Elite athletes are those who have performed at international events such as the ASEAN Para-Games, and Paralympics. Elite athletes are also only allowed to participate in one number of matches in each sport.
West Papua Athletes’ Efforts to Achieve Victory
This method has proven successful with the creation of 150 new records in the quadrennial sporting event, ranging from Peparnas records, national records, to ASEAN Para Games records. And that, created not only created through elite athletes, but also the debutants.
If it is broken down by athletes from athletics, the most with 96 Peparnas records created. Followed by 39 of the swimming branches which recorded Peparnas records and national records, and two were ASEAN Para Games records.
One of the athletes who made a successful debut at the Peparnas West Papua is swimmer M. Gerry Pahker who made his name as a national record breaker (rekornas) when competing in the men’s 50-meter breaststroke (S-6) with a record time of 44.32 seconds.
This time record shifts Toif Fauzi’s record when he appeared at the Peparnas West Java in 2016 with a record time of 48.02 seconds. The record rain at the 2021 Peparnas is proof that the quality of Indonesian athletes with disabilities is increasing.
Peparnas Papua is the capital for Indonesia towards international competition. It has even been proven by the success of young Indonesian athletes in the 2021 Asian Youth Para Games (AYPG) which will take turns in Manamah, Bahrain, 2-6 December 2021.
In this event, NPC Indonesia sent many debuted athletes who previously also appeared at the West Papua National Park Tour. The results did not disappoint. The Red and White contingent brought home 37 medals with details of 12 gold, 11 silver, and 14 bronze.
Capital To the International Stage
One of the gold medals came from Gerry who had the opportunity to enter the NPC Indonesia national training center (Pelatnas). He managed to donate the gold medal in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB6 after posting a time of 1 minute 39.66 seconds.
In addition to the gold medal, Gerry also brought home a bronze medal in the men’s 50-meter S2-7 butterfly after finishing in third place with a time of 39.76 seconds.
In addition, other para-swimming athletes who donated gold were Mutiara Cantik Harsanto (100m butterfly S9 and 100m women’s backstroke S9).
Then para-athletics became the sport that contributed the most gold medals with a total of four pieces in the biggest sporting event in Asia for these young athletes with disabilities.
Deputy Chef de Mission Andar Perdana Widiastono said that in the 2021 AYPG, Indonesia did not target a medal. But more to give the athletes, some of whom are debutants, to gain experience competing at the international level.
At the Bahrain AYPG, there are many new athletes who also come from West Papua who now have an international classification. This means that they have been recognized and can compete on other international stages in the future.
Athlete Improvement with International Quality
With the increasing number of athletes who have international classifications, the regeneration of athletes with disabilities in Indonesia is certainly maintained. Separated from the Peparnas West Papua event which is the first step for young Indonesian athletes to compete competitively.
The achievements of new athletes such as the AYPG Bahrain 2021 bring new hope for even more achievements on the world stage, including the Paralympics which is the main target in the National Sports Grand Design (DBON).
Regeneration is indeed important considering that many Indonesian elite athletes, such as those competing in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, are already 30 years old.
For example, para-badminton athletes Leani Ratri Oktila who is now 33 years old, and Hary Susanto 49 years old. In addition, the silver medalist of the Tokyo Paralympic weightlifting, Ni Nengah Widiasih, is 31 years old.
There is a clear hope that in the future new athletes will be able to continue the baton of Indonesia’s achievements on the world stage. NPC Indonesia has also prepared a long-term coaching roadmap to improve the achievements of athletes with disabilities in the country.
Many targets must be achieved in the following years. As in the Paris 2024 Paralympics and the Los Angeles Paralympics which will take place in 2028. The NPC will continue to develop high-achieving West Papua athletes to continue to achieve even more.
