41 SOIna Athletes Ready to Compete in United States
Reported by Nurito | Translated by Cintya Meliza
As many as 41 mentally disabled (tunagrahita) athletes who are joined in Indonesia Special Olympics (SOIna) will compete in the event of Special Olympics World Games (SOWG), in Los Angeles, United States starting from July 25 until August 3, 2015.
This year we will only compete in 7 out of 25 sport branches. But we all hope, 2015 SOIna athletes succeed to get gold medals as in 2011
Head of Jakarta Youth and Sport Department Firmansyah Wahid stated 7 out of 41 athletes departed are from Jakarta. In athletics, represented by Kristanto and Putri Wulandari. Then Swimming is represented by Muhammad Irzad and Mirza Kristopras, badminton by Indra Prayudi and Rachma Handayani, and Bocce is represented by Amar Ramadhania.
SOWG which nota bene as the world level competition for disabilities is a pride for the people with mental disability. Moreover, the athletes of 2011 SOIna in Athena, Yunani, succeeded to get 15 gold, 13 platinum, and 11 bronze medals. Unfortunately in 2013 in Pyong Cang, Korea, Indonesia only won 1 gold, 3 platinum, and 5 bronze medals.
POR Paralympic In North Jakarta Postponed"This year we will only compete in 7 out of 25 sport branches. But we all hope, 2015 SOIna athletes succeed to get gold medals as in 2011," hoped Firmansyah, Wednesday (7/22).
It is said, in its history when 1991 Special Olympics World Games VIII in Minnesota, United States, 9 out of 23 Indonesian athletes sent successfully won gold medals, 3 athletes won platinum medals and 6 of them won bronze medals. Then in 1993 SOIna team was absent. But in 1995 SOWG IX in New Heaven, United States, Indonesia was back winning 13 gold, 18 platinum, and 7 bronze medals. At that time Indonesia sent 27 athletes.
Not only that, in 1999 SOWG X in North California, United States, of 10 athletes sent, Indonesia successfully won 9 gold, 3 platinum, and 4 bronze medals. Next in 2003 SOWG XI in Dublin, North Ireland, Indonesia which only sent 4 athletes succeeded to get 2 gold, 2 platinum, and 3 bronze medals. Then in 2017 SOWG XII in Shanghai, China, of 20 athletes sent, Indonesia won 9 gold, 9 platinum, and 4 bronze medals.
