The Indonesian boccia team is determined to maintain its performance until the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics after winning four gold medals at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games.
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"We want our performance to be stable until the Los Angeles Paralympics, or even better," said Gischa Zayana after the final match at the Nagoya City General Gymnasium in Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday.
Gischa, together with Felix Ardi Yudha and Muhamad Syafa, successfully won gold in the mixed team BC1/BC2 event by defeating Thailand, represented by Pirayat Chanyadi, Worawut Sangampa, and Phakphum Linchum with a score of 11-3.
The boccia team's fourth gold medal brings the Indonesian contingent's gold medal tally at Asia's largest multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities to 15.
He said that the team came into the final with a strong mentality, having already won three gold medals. They were able to play relaxed but remained focused on winning the match.
Gischa hopes that winning four gold medals will motivate the team to achieve greater success on the bigger stage, the Paralympics.
Gischa's colleague, Felix Ardi Yudha, said that all the athletes had tried hard to perform as well as possible during the tournament, including the mixed team final against Thailand.
He said that the challenges they face in the future will be tougher at the Olympic level because they will face strong teams such as those from Portugal, Mexico, and others.
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