Leo/Daniel's Gold Propels Badminton Beyond 2026 Asian Games Target

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia successfully secured its third gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games after the men's doubles badminton pair, Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin, defeated the Chinese duo of Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang in the final with scores of 18-21, 21-13, and 21-18.

Indonesia's Minister of Youth and Sports, Erick Thohir, expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the efforts of Leo and Daniel, noting that this victory marks a significant milestone in the "Red and White" contingent's quest to reach their target of four gold medals at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.

"Praise be to God, a third gold medal for Indonesia at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. The Indonesian men's doubles pair, Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin, successfully delivered a gold medal for the Red and White after defeating the Chinese pair in the final," Minister Erick said.

Leo and Daniel's achievement also holds historical significance for Indonesian badminton. The Asian Games men's doubles gold medal returns to Indonesia after last being won at the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games by the pair Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon.

"This victory brings the Asian Games men's doubles gold back to Indonesia, following the last win in 2018. Congratulations and thank you for your hard work. This is a proud achievement for Indonesia," Minister Erick mentioned.

According to a release received by RRI Voice of Indonesia on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, that the gold medal won by Leo and Daniel brings the total gold haul for badminton to two, surpassing the initial target of one gold medal agreed upon by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI), and the sport's governing body.

The Minister commended the entire team of athletes and badminton officials for exceeding the established gold medal target. “I would like to express my appreciation and gratitude to the Indonesian badminton team. Our target was one gold medal, yet today the badminton squad has managed to deliver two. This achievement is entirely due to the commitment and hard work of the athletes, coaches, officials, federation administrators, and the entire team that diligently prepared the contingent for the Asian Games,” added the Minister of Youth and Sports.

In addition to badminton, Erick also commended the weightlifting team for meeting the target of one gold medal, in accordance with the initial agreement.

“We also commend the weightlifting team for securing a gold medal, thereby meeting their target. This demonstrates that established targets can serve as both motivation and a shared benchmark for delivering our best for Indonesia,” he said.

Erick affirmedthat the Indonesian contingent's journey is far from over. The Ministry of Youth and Sports continues to look forward to achievements from other sports disciplines that hold promise for gold medals at the 2026 Asian Games.

“We are still awaiting the efforts of other sports disciplines that also show promise for gold. Every sport must maintain its commitment to meeting the mutually agreed-upon targets. Therefore, I hope all athletes currently competing remain focused, keep their spirits high, and give their absolute best,” Erick stated.