Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali officiated the International Federation of Sport Climbing World Cup Jakarta 2022 at Lot 16-17 SCBD here on Saturday.
Amali commended the Indonesian Rock Climbing Federation (FPTI), led by Yenny Wahid, for being able to host this prestigious event in Indonesia.
"Today has been great. Our long-awaited dream has just come true to be able to host the Rock Climbing World Cup. I commend FPTI because Indonesia is finally able to organize an event of this scale," he affirmed.
As the leading sport in the Great Design of National Sports, Amali expects Indonesian athletes to deliver the best results as well as break the current world record set by the Red and White athlete, Kiromal Katibin, of 5.00 seconds for the men's speed number.
"Hopefully, our record and world championship will be maintained, and we can break the record at this event. We hope that in future, we would be able to bag medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics," Amali added.
On the same occasion, General Chairperson of the Indonesian Rock Climbing Federation Yenny Wahid stated that this event could be hosted after a long wait.
"After waiting for years, finally, an international rock climbing event can be hosted in Indonesia. Today, hundreds of athletes from 27 countries gathered in Indonesia. Athletes will compete for the medals that have been readied and to show the world that we will all rise even higher, faster, and stronger," she affirmed.
Based on data from the federation, Indonesia dispatched 42 athletes, comprising 22 speed athletes and 20 lead athletes, comprising 12 males and 10 females in the speed category, and 10 males and 10 females in the lead category.
Of the number of athletes that have competed, two Indonesian athletes, Kiromal Katibin and Veddriq Leonardo, managed to secure the grand champion position in the speed category for the 2022 World Cup in Jakarta that was the closing series for the 2022 Rock Climbing World Cup in the speed category.
The two athletes were ranked first and second in temporary standings of the 2022 World Cup in the speed number, according to data of the International Rock Climbing Federation.
Leonardo, who became the grand champion of the men's speed edition last year, was at the top of the standings, with 3910 points, followed by Katibin coming second, with 3275 points.
If either Leonardo or Katibin manage to be the fastest in the coming championship in Jakarta, they would secure an additional thousand points and ensure the overall title of the men's 2022 World Cup speed.
Their chances of becoming grand champions could only be dampened if Spanish representative Erik Noya Cardona became the champion in the Jakarta Series later.
Related news: Jakarta Environment Office confirms personnel trained in rock climbing
Related news: Raharjati Nursyamsa surpasses Veddriq Leonardo's climbing world record
Editor : Mahdani
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Kalimantan Selatan 2022