Indonesian para archer Kholidin using his mouth to shoot at the national team’s training camp ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games at the Center for Social Rehabilitation of Persons with Physical Disabilities (BBRSPDF) in Surakarta, Central Java on July 30, 2024. Five Indonesian archers who have lost an arm or a leg train together under the bright Central Javan sun, drawing their bows and closing one eye to shoot at targets as they prepare for the Paralympics in Paris this month. (AFP/Yasuyoshi Chiba)
F
ive Indonesian archers who have lost an arm or a leg train together under the bright Central Java sun, drawing their bows and closing one eye to shoot at targets as they prepare for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games this month.
The "magnificent five" are the first archers to ever qualify for the Paralympics from Southeast Asia's biggest country, and they are now training their sights on medals.
"It is history. Simply amazing," Ken Swagumilang, who has qualified for the compound men's standing competition, told AFP in Surakarta, also called Solo.
The group of archers is aiming to carve out their own legacy with support from their families and the government.
The five men and women, in both the standing and wheelchair categories, are to compete in the recurve and compound archery events.
"It's not just one or two athletes, it's five, imagine. It's the first time, and five athletes will compete," said Ken.
The 2022 Asian Para Games bronze medalist, whose leg was amputated due to bone cancer and now stands on a prosthetic leg, sees a Paralympic semifinal as a realistic ambition, but is dreaming bigger.
"Who doesn't want to win a gold medal?" he said.
Years of hard work have strengthened their bodies to draw the bow and shoot arrows with a high level of accuracy.
Their optimism has risen further after bagging two golds in June at the Para-Archery World Ranking Event in the Czech Republic and two bronzes at the 2022 Asian Para Games.
Indonesian para archer Ken Swagumilang returns from a target at the national team’s training camp ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games at the Center for Social Rehabilitation of Persons with Physical Disabilities (BBRSPDF) in Surakarta, Central Java on July 30, 2024. (AFP/Yasuyoshi Chiba)
Toothy champ
Kholidin, one of the gold medalists in June, is the only Indonesian Paralympic archer who can't draw the bow with his arm, as his right limb was amputated following a fall from a coconut tree in 2017.
He is set to compete in the recurve men's standing event, using his teeth to draw his bow.
"I tried using the front teeth, but it made me unable to eat. It was extremely painful for three days. Then I tried using my side teeth until they bled," he said.
Kholidin now comfortably uses his molars to draw 40 pounds of bowstring, a weight equal to around 18.2 liters of water.
"Me and my para archer friends, […] we want to show that we can do better and make achievements," he said.
Kholidin says better government backing has boosted his and fellow para archers’ performances.
"They are supporting us more and making us enjoy participating in tournaments abroad more. We have participated in many tryouts. To Thailand, Dubai, Australia, China," said the 46-year-old.
Fighting spirit
The National Paralympic Committee of Indonesia says it is not targeting any medals from this year’s Summer Paralympics in Paris. But its archers say they don't want to just make up the numbers at the Games.
"My target is a gold medal," said Kholidin.
As the Paralympics approaches, some of the archers traveled to Europe early to adapt to the weather, with some saying the cooler climes would be challenging compared to the tropical temperatures they were used to training in.
"In Indonesia, we got used to training in 30 degrees Celsius, 27 [degrees] in the morning, maybe. And in the afternoon, like at 12 or 1 p.m., it's probably 34, 35 degrees," said Ken.
Indonesian para archer Teodora Audi Atudia shoots an arrow at the national team’s training camp ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games at the Center for Social Rehabilitation of Persons with Physical Disabilities (BBRSPDF) in Surakarta, Central Java on July 30, 2024. (AFP/Yasuyoshi Chiba)
Teodora Audi Atudia was a high school student when she lost sense of her lower body after a car accident damaged nerves in her spine.
She started archery to train her arms, but the sport has now brought her to the biggest global event for athletes with disabilities.
She will now fulfill a dream: competing in the compound women's wheelchair category in Paris.
"I just want to say to people out there who have not fought yet, there is something better ahead," said Audi. "So let's fight!"