Who is the Indonesian couple that brought the country's first gold medal at the Olympics?
Indonesian couple and former badminton players Susi Susanti and Alan Budikusuma achieved a historic milestone by winning two gold medals at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. These were Indonesia's first-ever Olympic gold medals.
Susanti won gold in Barcelona in the women's singles badminton event. She also won a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta, USA.
Additionally, she achieved victory at the IBF World Championships in 1993, won the Japan Open three times, the Indonesia Open six times, and the Badminton World Cup five times. Susanti retired from professional badminton after marrying Alan Kusuma in 1997.
Alan Budikusuma won the 1992 Olympic men's singles gold medal in Barcelona. He defeated his compatriot Ardy Wiranata in the final. He was also the runner-up at the IBF World Championships in 1991. Budikusuma won the Thailand Open (1989 and 1991), the China Open (1991), the German Open (1992), the Indonesian Open (1993), the World Cup (1993), and the Malaysian Open (1995).
In August 1992, when Susi Susanti and Alan Budikusuma returned home from Barcelona, the streets were lined with a massive crowd of Indonesians, estimated to be between 500,000 and more than a million people.
Which athletes from Indonesia are going to participate in the Paris Olympics in 2024?
Indonesia has sent a team of 25 athletes to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Here is the lineup of Indonesian athletes who have qualified to represent their nation:
- Diananda Choirunisa (archery)
- Arif Dwi Pangestu (archery)
- Fathur Gustafian (shooting)
- Rifda Irfanaluthfi (gymnastics)
- Rio Waida (surfing)
- Rahmad Adi Mulyono (wall climbing)
- Desak Made Rita (wall climbing)
- Veddriq Leonardo (wall climbing)
- Rajiah Sallsabillah (wall climbing)
- Eko Yuli Irawan (weightlifting)
- Rizky Juniansyah (weightlifting)
- Nurul Akmal (weightlifting)
- Memo (rowing)
- Bernard van Aert (cycling)
- Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (badminton)
- Jonatan Christie (badminton)
- Gregoria Mariska Tunjung (badminton)
- Muhammad Rian Ardianto (badminton)
- Apriyani Rahayu (badminton)
- Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti (badminton)
- Rinov Rivaldy (badminton)
- Pitha Haningtyas Mentari (badminton)
- Maryam March Maharani (judo)
- Lalu Muhammad Zohri (athletics)
- La Memo (rowing)