8-8-2024 (JAKARTA) Veddriq Leonardo has etched his name into the annals of Olympic history by clinching the nation’s first gold medal outside the realm of badminton. The 27-year-old speed climber’s triumph in the inaugural men’s speed climbing event at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Thursday has sent waves of jubilation across the archipelago.
Leonardo’s ascent to glory was nothing short of breathtaking. In a heart-stopping finale, he scaled the 15-metre wall in a personal best time of 4.75 seconds, edging out his Chinese rival Wu Peng by a mere two-hundredths of a second. This razor-thin margin of victory underscored the intensity of the competition and the calibre of Leonardo’s performance.
The significance of this achievement cannot be overstated. It marks Indonesia’s ninth Olympic gold medal overall, but stands out as the first not won in badminton, the nation’s traditional stronghold in Olympic sports. This diversification of Indonesia’s Olympic success has sparked a wave of national pride and excitement.
Leonardo’s family, watching from their home in Indonesia, were overcome with emotion. His mother, Rosita Hamzah, shared with Kompas TV, “Words can hardly express how we feel. Praise be to God.” She revealed that Leonardo had called her the night before his climb, seeking her prayers and support.
The victory resonated at the highest levels of government, with President Joko Widodo taking to social media platform X to congratulate the athlete. “The Paris 2024 Olympics has brought new pride to Indonesia,” Widodo wrote, hailing Leonardo as “our proud speed climbing athlete.”
This gold medal is particularly significant as it comes in the first Olympics where speed climbing was contested as a separate event, having previously been part of a combined format at the Tokyo 2020 Games. The win cements Indonesia’s growing reputation as a powerhouse in speed climbing, a sport where the nation has been breaking records and collecting medals in international competitions.
Leonardo’s journey to Olympic gold began with a student nature enthusiast group that included wall climbing as an activity. His father, Sumaryanto, told Kompas TV, “He really enjoys the sport. It has always been his dream.”
The victory has ignited hopes for further climbing success and greater support for the sport in Indonesia. Kristoforus Bagaskoro, a creative manager in Jakarta, expressed his pride to AFP and called for more development of the sport.
