Indonesia Surpasses Gold Target

Rizki Juniansyah won a gold medal and broke the SEA Games record in the 73 kilogram weightlifting category. He is the youngest lifter in the class.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

Rizki Juniansyah, a young Indonesian lifter lifts iron plates after breaking the SEA Games record with a total lift of 347 kilograms (156 kg snatch and 347 kg clean and jerk) in the 73 kilogram men's weightlifting event at the National Olympic Stadium, Cambodia, Sunday (14 /5/2023).

PHNOM PENH, KOMPAS — Weightlifter Rizki Juniansyah proved his supremacy in the men's 73 kilogram category by winning the gold medal for Indonesia and setting up a new SEA Games record. He made amends for his failure to bring gold in the 81 kg category two years ago. Coming back from disappointment, he muscled his way to a total lift of 347 kg (156 kg snatch and 191 kg clean and jerk).

Before Rizki’s record-breaking performance, teammate Juliana Klarisa was victorious in the women's 55 kg category for her first gold medal at the SEA Games and Indonesia’s 60th gold in Cambodia. With Juiana’s triumphant performance, Indonesia fulfilled its gold target before Rizki contributed the 61^st.

Given the results in other competition venues, the Indonesian sporting delegation won 11 gold, 7 silver and 10 bronze medals on Sunday (14/5/2023). As of Sunday, 9 p.m. western Indonesian time (WIB), Indonesia collected a total of 68 gold medals. An addition of another two will see Indonesia surpass its gold count at the 2021 SEA Games in Vietnam, where it brought home 69.

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Rizki’s unchallenged performance means Indonesia retained supremacy in the men's 73 kg from the last SEA Games in Vietnam, where Rahmat Erwin managed to shatter the old record with his gold-winning lift of 345 kg (155kg snatch and 190kg clean and jerk). Rizki participated in the 81 kg category and had to be content with the silver medal.

Having come short of gold achievement, Rizki resolved to work hard for the 32nd SEA Games. He entered the national training center and, as Kompas witnessed, underwent an arduous training regime, even during fasting and the Idul Fitri festivities. He practiced under the direct supervision of coach and father Muhammad Yasin. The training program included him having to reduce his weight to make him eligible for the 73 kg competition.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

Rizki Juniansyah, a young Indonesian lifter lifted iron plates and broke the SEA Games record with a total lift of 347 kilograms (156 kg snatch and 347 kg clean and jerk) in the 73 kilogram men's weightlifting event at the National Olympic Stadium, Cambodia, Sunday (14 /5/2023).

Arriving in Cambodia, Rizki had three days to prepare for the competition while he also had to ascertain the weight qualification. He then did the weighing in and it appeared the strict diet he had been through worked successfully.

During match day at the weightlifting venue inside the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, he began his venture with a 143 kg snatch. It was the heaviest weight attempted among four competitors. Rizki somehow managed to snatch it up but he was adjudged to be flopping after monitor replay.

The failure spurred him on in the second attempt. He did it perfectly. He followed it with another perfect lift of 156 kg, which was announced as the new SEA Games snatch record. He improved Rahmat Erwin’s 155 kg record at the 2021 SEA Games.

The 73 kg is actually my specialist class. I feel fired up for the Paris Olympics. This is the first step to being qualified for the Olympics.

The spectacle suspension did not end just yet. Back to the stage as the last lifter, following his snatch achievement, Rizki was then ready for another shot at the clean and jerk. He bid 176 kg on the first attempt. Succeeding, he turned up for 191 kg on the second attempt.

He somehow rushed when raising the iron weight and failed. Making another attempt, he held the iron weight on his chest and tried to push it up but it did not move. He abandoned his attempt. On the last attempt he finally made it, shattering Rahmat Erwin's SEA Games record of 190 kg.

“The 73 kg is actually my specialist class. I feel fired up for the Paris Olympics. This is the first step to being qualified for the Olympics," Rizki said.

Muhammad Yasin expressed his relief at Rizki's achievement, saying that not only had his son shown consistency, but Indonesia had another medal hopeful for higher-level challenges in the class, in addition to Rahmat Erwin.

This article was translated by Musthofid.