RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia's national wushu team campaign for a stronger showing at the 2026 Asian Games will rely on experienced medalists such as Samuel Marbun, who is determined to turn his Hangzhou 2022 silver into gold as the team enters its final phase of preparation.

"I hope so. I have to believe in myself so that my silver medal can become a gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games," Samuel said during a visit by Indonesian Chef de Mission for the 2026 Asian Games, Todotua Pasaribu, to the national wushu training camp in Jakarta on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Samuel is one of Indonesia's leading wushu athletes, consistently delivering strong performances at major international multi-sport events. He claimed the silver medal in the men's 65kg sanda event at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games before capturing gold for Indonesia at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games.

With success at both Southeast Asian and Asian levels, Samuel is determined to take the next step by standing on top of the podium in Japan. He said the national team's preparations have entered the optimization phase, with sparring sessions now becoming the main priority.

"We need sparring partners to apply the techniques we've been practicing," he said, adding that a planned training and sparring program in China, organized by the Indonesian Wushu Association (WI), would play an important role in strengthening the team's preparations for the Asian Games.

Looking ahead to the competition, he identified athletes from China, the Philippines, and Vietnam as Indonesia's toughest rivals. Despite the strong competition, Samuel remains confident after months of intensive preparation.

"Our training has been at its maximum. We've followed every instruction from the coaches and stayed disciplined with our rest, nutrition, and sleep. The key is believing that we can win gold," he concluded. ***