JAKARTA: Indonesians celebrated their country’s first Olympic gold medal in a sport other than badminton, won by Veddriq Leonardo in the inaugural men’s speed climbing event in Paris on Thursday.
Veddriq climbed to a personal best time of 4.75 to beat Chinese rival Wu Peng by just two hundredths of a second on the 15-meter wall.
The 27-year-old former world record holder secured the ninth Olympic gold medal in Indonesia’s history, the other eight all being won in badminton, much to the delight of fans and his family.
“Words can hardly express how we feel. Praise be to God,” his mother Rosita Hamzah told broadcaster Kompas TV.
She said Veddriq called her on Wednesday night to ask her to pray for him before she watched his climb from home in Indonesia with other relatives.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo was among the first to congratulate Veddriq.
“The Paris 2024 Olympics has brought new pride to Indonesia, thanks to Veddriq Leonardo, our proud speed climbing athlete, who secured Indonesia’s first gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics,” Widodo wrote on social media platform X.
“Congratulations!“
It was the inaugural individual men’s medal for the separate event of speed climbing, after it had been integrated into a combination of speed, bouldering and lead at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“I am proud, very proud. The excitement was explosive,” Kristoforus Bagaskoro, a 41-year-old creative manager in the capital Jakarta, told AFP.
“We should hype up this sport more and help it develop even more.”
The Southeast Asian archipelago has become an unlikely force in speed climbing, smashing records and nabbing multiple medals at top international events.
Veddriq has led that charge, his father saying his son’s enthusiasm for the exciting sport began after he joined a student group of nature enthusiasts that included wall climbing as an activity.
“He really enjoys the sport. It has always been his dream,” his father Sumaryanto, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, told Kompas TV.
Veddriq’s coach broke down in tears after the victory and Indonesian Sport Climbing Federation chairwoman Yenni Wahid said she was “so moved I could cry.”
Others hoped Indonesia would secure more climbing success and enjoyed Veddriq’s enthusiastic celebrations in Paris.
“He kept kissing the medal, and he couldn’t stop smiling. He looked like he had been relieved from a heavy burden,” 30-year-old Indonesian Annisa Balqis wrote on X.
“Hopefully after this, he will be even more enthusiastic about winning.”
Indonesians delight at first speed climbing Olympic gold
https://arab.news/c5tfm
Indonesians delight at first speed climbing Olympic gold
- Veddriq climbed to a personal best time of 4.75 to beat Chinese rival Wu Peng by just two hundredths of a second on the 15-meter wall
- “Words can hardly express how we feel. Praise be to God,” his mother Rosita Hamzah told broadcaster Kompas TV
San Antonio Spurs extend domination of NBA-best Thunder
- After roaring to a 24-1 start, the Thunder have dropped four of their past six games — three of those losses coming to the Spurs
- Houston’s Amen Thompson scored 26 points to lead the Rockets over the host Los Angeles Lakers 119-96
- At New York, Jalen Brunson scored 34 points to lead the host Knicks over Cleveland 126-124
NEW YORK: Reigning champion Oklahoma City have the NBA’s best record, but they cannot beat San Antonio, with superstar Victor Wembanyama coming off the bench Thursday to help lift the Spurs to an emphatic 117-102 victory.
De’Aaron Fox scored a game-high 29 points while Wembanyama had 19 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes and guard Stephon Castle added 19 points for the Spurs, who stretched their win streak to eight games.
“My first Christmas game,” Fox said. “It feels great getting another victory.”
After roaring to a 24-1 start, the Thunder have dropped four of their past six games — three of those losses coming to the Spurs.
“When you play a team of this caliber, the details are much more magnified,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “We did a phenomenal job as the game progressed adhering to those nuances.”
Wembanyama wouldn’t call it a statement win for the season but he says the Spurs have learned from beating the Thunder.
“I’m not really sure it’s smart to think so far into the future,” said Wembanyama.
“This is like a playoff series. We played them three times in 10 days so we learned a lot on the technical side.”
Oklahoma City lost for the first time in 15 home games this season despite 22 points by reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Thunder sank their first seven shots to take an 18-12 lead but the Spurs closed the first quarter on an 11-0 run for a 41-36 edge and never looked back.
“The guys were working their butts off,” Johnson said.
The Spurs improved to 23-7, second in the Western Conference behind the Thunder at 26-5.
Fox made 12-of-19 shots from the floor, 3-of-4 from three-point range.
“He was carrying us a little bit,” Wembanyama said. “He’s a guy who can make things happen.”
The Spurs have not reached the playoffs since 2019 and have not won a playoff series since 2017.
In other games, Houston’s Amen Thompson scored 26 points to lead the Rockets over the host Los Angeles Lakers 119-96.
Kevin Durant added 25 points and Alperen Sengun had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Houston.
“We wanted to come out here and play with a sense of urgency for 48 minutes,” Durant said. “The basketball world is watching you tonight.”
Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 25 points while four-time NBA MVP LeBron James added 18 points.
James, the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, played in his 20th NBA Christmas contest, his holiday record falling to 11-9.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves had 12 points in 15 minutes before leaving with left calf soreness.
Knicks outlast Cavs
At New York, Jalen Brunson scored 34 points to lead the host Knicks over Cleveland 126-124.
The Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell’s 34 points, grabbed a 103-86 lead with 10:25 remaining but New York closed on a 40-21 run to seize the victory.
Benson, who hit 6-of-12 from three-point range, lifted the Knicks ahead for good at 121-119 on a three-pointer with 65 seconds remaining.
It was Benson’s 90th 30-point game as a Knick, a total eclipsed only by Patrick Ewing and Carmelo Anthony.
Jordan Clarkson added 25 points off the New York bench.
At San Francisco, Stephen Curry scored 23 points despite shooting 6-of-18 overall and 2-of-10 from three-point range to lead Golden State over Dallas 126-116.
“Didn’t shoot it well but we got a great win,” Curry said. “Just focused on the details of what this team can do to win.”
Seven Warriors scored in double figures with Jimmy Butler contributing 14 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
The Mavericks’ 19-year-old forward Cooper Flagg, the second-youngest NBA Christmas starter after 18-year-old James in 2003, scored a game-high 27 points.
Dallas star Anthony Davis exited after playing only 11 minutes with what appeared to be a groin injury.
Dallas guard Klay Thompson scored seven points in a return to the Bay Area, where he helped Golden State capture four NBA titles.
