September 9, 2026 | 08:44 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto emphasized the importance of sports for Indonesia because the physical strength, skills, and spirit of the people reflect the strength of a nation.Prabowo made this statement while sending off the Indonesian contingent that will compete in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Wednesday."Because a successful nation, a strong nation, is a nation with strong people. If the people are physically strong, skilled, and spirited, the nation reflects that. A skilled nation is a successful nation," Prabowo said.The President said the athletes selected to represent Indonesia at the Asian Games have both the honor and responsibility of representing the nation in this Asian-level sporting event.Prabowo also expressed his gratitude for the athletes' hard work and sacrifices thus far, while urging them to give their best and demonstrate the resilience and spirit of the Indonesian nation during the competitions."Represent our nation, show that Indonesian youths are tough, passionate, and never give up," he said.The Indonesian contingent competing in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games consists of 430 athletes from 35 sports with 145 officials, as confirmed by Todotua Pasaribu, the contingent's ched de mission.This number is down from the previous 432 athletes registered during the by-name entry stage.The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are scheduled to take place in Japan from September 19 to October 4, 2026.Read: Prabowo Calls on 430 Athletes to 'Give Their Best' at Asian GamesClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
