Indonesia exceeds Asian Games 2026 gold target, prompting calls for sports reform

Indonesia concluded the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya with a total of five gold, 11 silver, and 23 bronze medals, surpassing the government's initial target. All five gold medals were secured across four specific disciplines: badminton, weightlifting, sport climbing, and archery.

Raja Sapta Oktohari, Chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (NOC Indonesia), has called for a comprehensive evaluation of the national sports development system following the results. While celebrating the achievement, Oktohari emphasized that the focus should shift toward how to double the gold medal count and expand elite-level success to a wider variety of sporting disciplines.

Oktohari suggested that officials must analyze the success factors within the winning disciplines, including coaching, scouting, competition structures, sport science, and organizational ecosystems. He also advocated for a more data-driven talent identification system, suggesting that Indonesia's large population offers abundant potential that could be better utilized through cross-sport talent development and sport science applications.