Indonesia made significant strides at the 2024 Paris Olympics, capturing two gold medals and one bronze, propelling the nation to 39th place in the overall medal tally. This marked a strong leap forward for Indonesia, which continues to evolve as a competitive force on the global athletic stage.

While Indonesia is historically known for its dominance in badminton, the Paris Games highlighted the nation’s growing athletic diversity. Veddriq Leonardo claimed the country’s first-ever Olympic gold in men’s speed climbing, a new addition to the Olympics. Meanwhile, Rizki Juniansyah brought home the gold in the men’s 73 kg weightlifting category, further cementing Indonesia's reputation in strength sports. Gregoria Mariska Tunjung added to the nation's medal haul with a bronze in women’s singles badminton.

Paris 2024: A Step Up from Tokyo

The results from Paris marked a noticeable improvement from Indonesia's performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where the country earned five medals: one gold, one silver, and three bronze. In Tokyo, Indonesia placed 55th in the medal standings, making this year’s 39th-place finish a significant progression.

The two gold medals in Paris also equaled Indonesia's best Olympic performance, a record first achieved at the 1992 Barcelona Games. Since its Olympic debut in 1952, Indonesia has consistently excelled, particularly in badminton. Of the nation's 10 gold medals, eight have come from badminton, a sport that continues to be a key pillar of Indonesian Olympic success.

A Legacy of Olympic Champions

The nation’s Olympic story began with badminton icons Susi Susanti and Alan Budikusuma, who both won gold at the 1992 Barcelona Games, placing Indonesia firmly on the Olympic map. Since then, the country has seen continued success in men’s and women’s doubles, mixed doubles, and now, new sports like climbing and weightlifting.

Notable gold medalists include Rexy Mainaky and Ricky Subagja in men's doubles badminton at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Tony Gunawan and Candra Wijaya in 2000 Sydney, and Taufik Hidayat, who triumphed in men’s singles at the 2004 Athens Games. In 2016, the pairing of Liliyana Natsir and Tontowi Ahmad brought home gold in mixed doubles badminton, and most recently, Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu secured the women’s doubles gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The rise of new stars like Veddriq Leonardo and Rizki Juniansyah marks an exciting chapter in Indonesia’s Olympic journey, showcasing the nation's expanding capabilities beyond its traditional sporting stronghold.

As the world celebrates these remarkable achievements, Indonesia's future in the Olympics looks brighter than ever, with its athletes continuing to push boundaries and bring honor to the nation across a wider range of disciplines.