2023 SEA Games Just Opened, Indonesia in Top Five

The 32nd SEA Games, a sporting event for Southeast Asian countries, commenced today, Friday (5/5/2023), and will run until Wednesday (17/5/2023). Cambodia is hosting this major sporting event.

Indonesia is sending 599 athletes and support staff. President Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, saw off the Indonesian contingent at the Merdeka Palace on Tuesday (2/5/2023).

During the send-off, Jokowi expressed his hope that the Indonesian contingent would win more than 69 gold medals and secure a top-three ranking.

"With the utterance of 'Bismillahirahmanirahim,' this morning, Tuesday (2/5), I declare the SEA Games contingent to Cambodia departed," Jokowi said, as reported by CNN Indonesia on Tuesday (2/5/2023).

On the same occasion, the Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora), Dito Ariotedjo, detailed the Indonesian contingent being sent to Cambodia.

Dito explained that the 599 athletes competing in the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games consist of 379 male and 270 female athletes. In addition to the athletes, Dito also sent 230 officials and 55 medical personnel.

"The total number is 884 people," said Dito Ariotedjo.

Preparations for the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games, according to Dito, began a year ago. Several parties, such as the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) and the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI), and experts were involved in the preparations.

"Alhamdulillah, our target is at least to maintain [our position], and if we improve, it must be upwards," he added.

At the 2022 Vietnam SEA Games, Indonesia ranked 3rd with 69 gold medals.

Medal Tally

According to the Kemenpora's Twitter page, Indonesia was in fifth place in the medal tally update on Thursday (4/5/2023).

The details are: 1 silver medal, 5 bronze medals. A total of 6 medals were won.

Cambodia is in first place with 9 medals: 5 gold and 4 silver.

Second is the Philippines with 7 medals: 2 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze.

Third is Thailand with 3 medals: 1 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze.

Fourth is Laos with 4 medals: 1 gold and 3 bronze.

Below Indonesia, in sixth place is Myanmar with a total of 4 bronze medals. Seventh is Vietnam with a total of 3 bronze medals.

Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore, and Timor Leste have not yet won any medals.