Ni Nengah Widiasih on Thursday (26 August) snatched Indonesia’s first medal, as well as the country’s first Paralympics silver medal since 1988, at Tokyo Paralympics 2020. The sole Indonesian powerlifting athlete earned Indonesia its 21st Paralympics medal 45 years after the country’s first participation in the event.

Indonesia made its Paralympics debut in the 1976 Toronto Paralympic Games, bringing home two gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals. However, Paralympics remained unrecognised in Indonesia. Back then, the only reason why the athletes could go was because they were invited by the host country. 

However, after skipping the 1992 Paralympics, Indonesia began to send significantly lesser athletes to the sports event. Indonesian athletes also won lesser medals - even returned home empty-handed - until 2012, when David Jacobs won a bronze medal. In 2016, Ni Nengah Widiasih also won a bronze medal.

Prof. Dr. Suharso is the father of the Indonesian Paralympics. After Indonesia claimed independence, Soekarno, the country’s president at that time, in 1956 instructed Suharso to build an orthopedics hospital for war victims and polio endemic patients. Suharso in 1962 was invited by a Dutch organisation to spectate a different-abled sports exhibition. This is where the idea of Indonesia’s very own Paralympic organisation came from.

Suharso fostered the body that organises different-abled athletes in Indonesia, which was established in 1962 under the name Yayasan Pembina Olahraga Cacat (YPOC) or Disabled Sports Founder Foundation. In 1993, the organisation changed its name into Badan Mentor Olahraga Cacat (BPOC) or the Disabled Sports Founder Agency. However, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) General Assembly in 2015 decided that any sport under the organisation is no longer rehabilitative or recreational, so IPC countries must include the word “paralympic” in their organisation. 

Paralympic sports in Indonesia only got the recognition it deserves in 2010. Back then, the BPOC was still under KONI (Komite Olahraga Nasional Indonesia/National Sports Committee of Indonesia) even though according to the law, everyone in Indonesia is seen as equal. Therefore, Andi Malarangeng, then Minister of Sports, urged the BPOC to exit KONI. Only then the BPOC changed its name into the National Paralympic Committee Indonesia (NPCI).

In Paralympics 2020, Indonesia sent 23 athletes to compete in seven disciplines. So far, this is the largest number of athletes sent to a Paralympics. The athletes are:

Athletics:

1. Saptoyogo Purnomo

2. Karisma Evi Tiarani

3. Putri Aulia

4. Elvin Elhudia Sesa

5. Famini

6. Jaenal Aripin

7. Setiyo Budi Hartanto

Badminton:

1. Fredy Setiawan

2. Hary Susanto

3. Dheva Anrimusthi

4. Leani Ratri Oktila

5. Khalimatus Sa'diyah

6. Ukun Rukaendi

7. Suryo Nugroho

Table tennis:

1. Dian David Mickael Jacobs

2. Komet Akbar

3. Adyos Astan

Swimming:

1. Syuci Indriani

2. Jendi Pangabean

Shooting:

1. Bolo Triyanto

2. Hanik Puji Astuti

Cycling:

1. Muhammad Fadli Imammuddin

Powerlifting:

1. Ni Nengah Widiasih