Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Puan Maharani has invited citizens to support the Indonesian national team at the XI ASEAN Para Games.

According to Maharani, this year, Indonesia will host the biggest sporting event in Southeast Asia for athletes with special needs.

“Let us support the athletes and officials of the ASEAN Para Games XI to compete in the championship,” she said in a statement issued in Jakarta on Tuesday.

She further said she hopes that the 324 Indonesian athletes competing in the event will give their best performance and secure achievements.

According to Maharani, the achievements of Indonesian para athletes will advance the world of sports in Indonesia.

“With the support of the community, we hope that the Indonesian contingent can become the overall champion at the ASEAN Para Games this time,” she added.

She said she believes that Indonesia has a big chance of excelling at the ASEAN Para Games because the potential of Indonesian athletes is very good and the Indonesian contingent has a number of athletes who have experience competing in the Paralympics.

It is hoped that this year’s Para Games will have a positive impact on the people of Solo and its surrounding areas, especially in terms of the economy, she added.

“Hopefully, the ASEAN Para Games will not only be useful for the development of sports for friends with disabilities, but also be able to move the economy of the community, especially those at the venue,” she said.

The Para Games will begin on July 30, 2022. The torch relay to welcome participating contingents from Southeast Asian countries was held on Sunday (July 24).

Athletes at the ASEAN Para Games XI will compete in 14 sports branches, including badminton, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair basketball, and para-athletics.

The competitions will take place at 14 venues prepared in Solo city, Karanganyar district, Sukoharjo district, and Semarang city.

At least 2,309 participants consisting of 1,648 athletes and 661 officials from 11 countries in the Southeast Asian region are scheduled to participate in this year’s Para Games.

Source: Antara News