Prabowo Urges Asian Games Athletes to Carry National Pride

President Prabowo Subianto has underscored the significant responsibility shouldered by Indonesian athletes heading to the 2026 Asian Games, emphasizing that they represent the nation's vast population. He highlighted that the 430 athletes who qualified carry the weight of approximately 287 million Indonesian people, with two initially selected athletes unable to participate due to illness. During the send-off ceremony for the Indonesian contingent at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, September 9, Prabowo stated, "Out of hundreds of millions of Indonesian people, only 432 athletes were sent, who met the requirements, who passed the qualifications, who represented 287 million. This is a very big honor." The President drew a parallel with his own career journey, expressing the profound honor of national representation. "I am now the President of the Republic of Indonesia, I am in the army I can get the highest rank. But I actually in my heart, I can't be like you guys representing the nation," he remarked. Prabowo stressed that achieving at the highest level requires immense training and sacrifice, quoting an Olympic coach's principle: "The formula for becoming a champion is only three, practice, practice, practice." He urged the athletes to display a strong fighting spirit during the competition. "Do the best for your people. Give the best. Represent our nation, show that Indonesian children are tough, spirited, and do not know how to give up," he exhorted.