Indonesia is a country undeniably rich in culture and nature. On top of that, it also has tremendous love for sports, from boxing, soccer, badminton, to weightlifting. Due to that passion, the country has produced legendary male athletes throughout the time.

Being an athlete is not about just doing sports and winning competitions. Some of Indonesia's greatest athletes contributed more than just medals. From fighting in Indonesia's independence war to helping victims of natural disasters, here is a list of Indonesia's most outstanding male athletes and their contributions.

1. Rudy Hartono Kurniawan (badminton)
It's widely believed that Indonesia's first Olympic gold medalists were shuttlers Alan Budikusuma and Susi Susanti in 1992. However, the country's first-ever Olympic medal came from badminton player Rudy Hartanto Kurniawan during the Munich Olympics in 1972.

Rudy was able to secure Indonesia's first Olympic gold medal after defeating his opponents during the men's singles event finals. He was also the most dominant male athlete by winning seven straight All England Championship.

In 1980, Rudy won the World Championship in his only attempt. He would later serve as an administrator for international badminton bodies.

2. Chris John (boxing)
Chris or Yohannes Christian John started playing boxing when he was five years old. He became a professional boxer in 1997. Yohannes held his World Boxing Association (WBA) super featherweight title from 2004 to 2013.

Yohannes' career as a boxer lasted for almost ten years. As a professional boxer, he won 48 matches and lost one.

In 1998, Yohannes represented Indonesia in wushu and won a gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games. In 2018, he joined the Democratic Party but later left due to dissatisfaction with how the group ignored his political aspirations.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Chris John Boxing Indonesia (@chrisjohnindonesia)

3. Maulwi Saelan (soccer)
As a guerilla fighter during the Indonesian independence war, Maulwi was the goalkeeper for the country's football team. He also served as the captain during the 1951-58 period.

During the 1956 Olympic Games, Maulwi showcased his skills as an athlete by holding the Soviets to a scoreless draw.

When former President Suharto took over Indonesia in the 1960s, Maulwi was imprisoned for several years. After his release, he established an education foundation and even opened a school.

4. Eko Yuli Irawan (weightlifting)
One of Indonesia's most successful weightlifters is Eko Yuli Irawan. At 16, he won a silver medal at the Junior World Championships in 2006. He then went on to win gold at the 2007 Junior World Championships and a bronze at the 2012 London Olympics.

Eko still wants to improve and win more gold medals at international competitions despite his success. He noted that Indonesia still lacks a young generation of weightlifting players despite his age.

5. Lalu Zohri (athletics)

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Lalu Muhammad Zohri ? (@lalumohamadzohri_)

In 2018, Lalu Muhammad Zohri became the first Indonesian to win a gold medal in the men's 100-meter at the World Under-20 Championships with a record 10.18 seconds.

After winning the gold medal, President Joko Widodo ordered the rebuilding of Zohri's family's home. However, the athlete wanted to use his newfound wealth to help those affected by the recent earthquakes in Lombok.