Indonesia's Rowing Team Intensifies Preparations Ahead of SEA Games 2025

KBRN, Jakarta: Indonesia’s national rowing team is intensifying preparations for the upcoming SEA Games in Thailand, where organizers will only open the competition venue two days before the races begin.

The restriction has forced the team to maximize its final training program at Situ Cipule, Karawang, while adapting from high-altitude sessions in Pangalengan to lowland conditions.

Head coach Muhammad Hadris said the squad, consisting of 23 athletes, comprising 13 men and 10 women, has been undergoing acclimatization for a week and is now fully focused on sharpening performance before departure.

Despite logistical hurdles and rainy weather, he remains confident that Indonesia can achieve its target of four gold medals.

“Our plan was to arrive in Thailand by December 8, but with the venue only opening two days before competition, we can start adapting on the water no earlier than December 10 or 11,” Hadris explained, as quoted by Antara.

The medal target, set in coordination with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, is based on evaluations from the Asian Rowing Championship held in Vietnam in October.

Hadris believes the men’s team remains Indonesia’s strongest asset, with performances still ahead of Southeast Asian rivals.

“In the men’s events, the gap is significant. Thailand tried different lineups in Vietnam, but their athletes are still the same, so we know their level,” he said.

The women’s team, however, faces a tougher challenge. While Indonesia was narrowly behind Vietnam in some races, by margins of one to three seconds, other events showed gaps of 10 to 15 seconds, which Hadris admitted would be difficult to close within two months.

“We need a special strategy to raise the women’s performance closer to the gold standard we last achieved at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines,” he said, recalling the victory of Julianti and Yayah Rokayah in the women’s pairs.

Hadris emphasized that the team’s immediate goal is to reduce time differences and ensure visible improvements before departure. “Even if we lose, it should not be by one or two seconds anymore. Progress must be clear before we leave,” he added.

Rowing was last contested at the 2021 SEA Games in Vietnam, where Indonesia finished second overall with eight golds and six silvers, just two bronzes behind the host nation. The sport was not included in the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.

With the men’s team expected to maintain its tradition of gold and the women’s squad working to close the gap, Hadris remains optimistic. “In Karawang we are already 100 percent ready. The final touches will be in Thailand,” he said. ***