Indonesia’s Rahmat Erwin Abdullah competes in the mens 73-kg group A weightlifting competition during the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, in China’s eastern Zhejiang province on Oct.3, 2023. (AFP/Ishara S. Kodikara)
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lowly but surely, Indonesia has climbed up the Hangzhou Asian Games standings, with 6 gold medals, 6 silvers and 16 bronzes in the bag as of Wednesday evening, placing it 12th in the medal tally – two spots away from its top-10 target for the biggest multisports event in Asia.
Indonesia was behind Hong Kong and Iran, in 10th and 11th place respectively, with Kazakhstan, Qatar and Singapore trailing in 13th, 14th and 15th place in that order.
Host country China was still in the top spot by a mile, with 169 gold, 94 silver and 51 bronze medals. Japan followed with 37 gold, 51 silver and 58 bronze medals.
On Tuesday, Indonesia racked up two golds, one each in weightlifting and sports climbing, adding to the four it secured last week.
In the Tuesday evening contests, weightlifter Rahmat Erwin Abdullah made headlines after lifting 359 kilograms in the men’s 73 kg weight class to win the gold and break his own world record.
Soon thereafter, sports climber Desak Made Rita Kusuma won the other gold with a 6.52-second course, setting an Asian Games record.
On Wednesday, Indonesia won five more medals: one silver each in men’s and women’s sepak takraw quadrant and women’s dragon boat, as well as two bronzes in mixed team recurve archery and men’s team soft tennis.
