Indonesia Badminton Contingent Sweeps Medals at Asian Games 2026, says kompasiana.com

Indonesia Sweeps Badminton Medals After Historic Asian Games Final in Japan

The Indonesian badminton contingent returned home following the Asian Games 2026 in Japan, where all 20 competing athletes captured medals across team and individual events, kompasiana.com reported. The campaign featured a dramatic 3-2 victory by the men’s team over China at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium on September 24, 2026, which secured the country’s first men’s team gold medal at the Asian Games in 28 years, according to kompas.com reporting.

Overcoming the Setback of Hangzhou 2022

The success in Japan followed a difficult outing four years prior at the Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou, China, kompasiana.com noted. During the 2022 competitions, the Indonesian badminton team exited without a single medal across seven individual and team categories, despite fielding a roster featuring several athletes who returned for the 2026 squad, such as Jonatan Christie, Fajar Alfian, Leo Rolly Carnando, Daniel Marthin, Putri Kusuma Wardani, Siti Fadia Silva, and Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma. Meanwhile, several other names no longer appeared in the lineup, including Anthony Ginting, Gregoria Mariska, Muhammad Rian Ardianto, Apriyani Rahayu, and the mixed doubles pair Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Mentari, though the Indonesian badminton squad at that time was actually not all that bad.

Dramatic Comeback Against China in the Team Final

The gold-medal turnaround in the men’s team event required a dramatic recovery in the final against China, kompas.com reported. Trailing 0-2 early in the tie, the Indonesian squad rallied to win and seal a 3-2 victory on September 24, 2026. The result marked the nation’s first men’s team title at the games since the Bangkok Asian Games in 1998.

🔴 2026 Asian Games Badminton Gold Medal Match Indonesia vs People's Republic of China

President Prabowo Congratulates Men's Team for First Gold Medal

Following the final, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto congratulated the men’s team via a video call on the evening of September 24, 2026, acknowledging their hard work in securing the opening gold medal for the contingent, kompas.com reported. President Prabowo also expressed appreciation for the struggle and hard work of the athletes, encouraging them to keep the fight of the Red and White going until the end of the Asian Games 2026. Terima kasih saudara-saudara sekalian, terima kasih jerih payah saudara-saudara. Kalian berhasil meraih medali emas pertama, President Prabowo stated to the Indonesian team in a written statement on September 25, 2026. Minister of Youth and Sports Erick Thohir also thanked the administration for its ongoing support, emphasizing that athletic achievement contributes to national character development, health, and discipline. According to him, sports hold a much broader meaning than merely the achievement of accolades.

Athletes Share Experiences After Reversing Hangzhou Scoreless Outing

Athletes documented their experiences in Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, sharing stories of their campaign across social media platforms upon returning to Indonesia, kompasiana.com reported. The collective medal haul by all 20 selected representatives marked a complete reversal from the scoreless outing in Hangzhou, providing a response to previous setbacks through improved training and performance on the regional stage.