Ambassador Kartini Applauds Desak Made’s Gold Medal Achievement

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ambassador to Japan has praised climber Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi for securing the nation’s fourth gold medal at the Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. The Bali‑born athlete’s victory in women’s speed climbing ensured Indonesia’s gold medal target was achieved early.

The final took place at Portmesse Nagoya Exhibition Hall on Wednesday, September 30, where Desak set a new Asian Games record with a time of 6.062 seconds. Ambassador Nurmala Kartini Sjahrir expressed pride in the achievement, noting that the result broke Desak’s own previous Games record of 6.07 seconds.

“Praise be to God and congratulations on this fourth gold medal from Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi. It is deeply moving because this joyful result means Indonesia’s target of four gold medals has already been met,” Ambassador Kartini said in a statement to rri.co.id on Thursday, October 1.

She added that Desak’s hard work, along with the efforts of fellow athletes who won gold, silver, and bronze, will be remembered as part of Indonesia’s sporting history and serve as inspiration for others to pursue excellence on the world stage.

Desak clinched the gold by a razor‑thin margin of 0.002 seconds over China’s Deng Lijuan, who took silver with 6.064 seconds. South Korea’s Jeong Jimin secured bronze in 6.18 seconds. The women’s speed event brought together Asia’s top climbers in a fiercely contested showdown.

This triumph marks Desak’s second Asian Games gold, following her victory in Hangzhou 2022. The latest medal adds to Indonesia’s tally, complementing two golds from badminton (men’s singles and men’s team) and one from weightlifting in the 75kg category. In total, Indonesia has collected 31 medals: four gold, seven silver, and 20 bronze medals.

With the early fulfillment of its four‑gold target, Indonesia’s contingent has met the benchmark set by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Indonesian Olympic Committee.

The achievement underscores the nation’s strength in climbing, badminton, and weightlifting, while also raising hopes that additional medals from other sports could push Indonesia beyond its initial goal. (Diffa Sephiawardhani)