Jakarta. The Indonesian contingent at the Hangzhou Asian Games fell just short of its target, missing out on the goal of securing at least eight gold medals, with a surprising absence of medals in badminton.

Indonesia finished 13th in the overall medal standings, claiming seven gold medals, 11 silver, and 18 bronze.

Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Dito Ariotedjo expressed his regret during an event in Jakarta on Sunday, the same day as the conclusion of the games in the Chinese city. 

"I extend my apologies to the Indonesian people and the president who aimed for us to be among the top ten medalists at the Asian Games, but unfortunately, we fell short," Dito said.

This marked the first time since 1962 that Indonesian badminton players failed to secure a medal at the Asian Games. Additionally, Indonesian archers, who were anticipated to secure at least one gold medal, returned without any medals.

In the previous games hosted in Jakarta and Palembang, the host country secured a fourth-place position in the overall medal tally with 31 gold, 24 silver, and 43 bronze medals.

Dito said the government will conduct an evaluation of the results from Hangzhou and prepare for the upcoming Paris Olympics next summer. 

"We will analyze why we fell short of our target and explore the best solutions," he said.

Thailand emerged as the most successful Southeast Asian nation in Hangzhou, securing 12 gold medals, 14 silver, and 32 bronze medals.

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