INDONESIA has once more added another athlete who has successfully qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This time it is Bernard Benyamin van Aert’s turn from cycling. Bernard qualified through state qualifications for the men’s omnium track discipline.
The world cycling federation Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) released a list of athletes who qualified, including Bernard van Aert. The Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI/NOC Indonesia) is grateful that cycling ended its 20-year fast last time qualifying athletes for the Olympics.
“Thank God, following 20 years of long waiting, Indonesia has finally allowed cycling athletes from the track discipline, omnium number at the Olympics,” said Chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee Raja Sapta Oktohari, Tuesday (23/4).
Indonesia has previously admitted cycling athletes from track discipline to the Olympics in the 2004 edition. At that time, Santia Tri Kusuma fell in number point race daughter represents Indonesia in Athens.
“Hopefully Bernard’s qualification for Paris 2024 will be a motivation for athletes from other sports to follow in his footsteps. “The struggle is not over yet, we must remain enthusiastic and show the best results in order to ensure that Indonesia Raya can still resound and the Red and White continues to fly in Paris 2024,” added Okto.
The head coach of the Indonesian national cycling team, Dadang Haries Poernomo, explained that Bernard’s qualification for Paris 2024 was through a long struggle to catch points since last year.
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In 2023, qualifying points will be taken from the best two of the three UCI Nations Cup series held in Jakarta, Egypt and Canada. At that time Bernard stopped in qualifying so he didn’t get any points.
In the 2023 Asian Championship, the 27-year-old racer finished fifth and failed to get any points. Then at the World Championships in Glasgow, he finished 20th.
Bernard then got quite a lot of points following winning silver at the Asian Track Championship, New Delhi, India. He appeared once more in the UCI Track Nations Cup and all of them entered the final so they got points.
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In Adelaide, Bernard finished 15th while in Hong Kong he was 17th and finally in Canada he was ranked 11th.
“The national cycling team has targeted Bernard to qualify. Thank God, the struggle was very hard and long once morest the onslaught of technology from teams from big countries which are developing every year,” said Dadang.
At the Paris Olympics, three events were contested in the track endurase cycling discipline, namely team pursuit, madison and omnium.
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Bernard’s qualifying means that so far the Indonesian team has officially qualified 11 athletes from eight sports according to KOI records. Apart from Bernard, there are Arif Dwi Pangestu and Dianda Choirunisa (archery), Rifda Irfanaluthfi (artistic gymnastics), Fathur Gustafian (shooting), and Rio Waida (surfing).
Then, Rahmad Adi Mulyono and Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi (rock climbing), Eko Yuli Irawan and Rizky Juniansyah (weightlifting), and Memo (rowing).
Apart from what has been officially announced by KOI, there are a number of Indonesian athletes who have also secured positions.
From badminton there are Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, Jonatan Christie, Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, Apriyani Rahayu/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti, Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto, and Rinov Rivaldy/Pitha Haningtyas Mentari whose positions are safe even though the qualifying event is still ongoing.
From weightlifting, female lifter Nurul Akmal received a continental quota reallocation. From athletics, Lalu Muhammad Zohri and Odekta Naibaho won wildcard. (H-2)
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