Pontianak. Olympic gold medalist Veddriq Leonardo revealed on Wednesday that his historic victory in the Paris Olympics was not due to high-end facilities or luxuries but rather the result of sheer determination and a disciplined approach to his sport.

Veddriq made history by becoming the first Indonesian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in a sport other than badminton.

Speaking to reporters in his hometown of Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Veddriq shared that he couldn't afford expensive equipment while preparing for the Paris games.

"I'm not from a wealthy family. My training facilities weren't professional-grade -- my father built them for me. This shows that success doesn’t come from having the best equipment, but from having the strongest will," Veddriq said.

Veddriq clinched gold in the inaugural men's sport climbing speed event, defeating world record holder Sam Watson. He clocked 4.75 seconds in the final, just shy of Watson's world record of 4.74 seconds, which Watson set during the third-place heat.

Veddriq and Poland’s Aleksandra Mirosław both made history as the first-ever gold medalists in Olympic sport climbing speed events, which debuted at the Paris Olympics.

“Today, we’ve shown that West Kalimantan can produce a world champion. With hard work and determination, we can achieve even more,” Veddriq said.

Earlier in the day, Veddriq and local cyclist Bernard Van Art, who unfortunately did not medal in Paris, were celebrated with a parade through Pontianak. Thousands of residents and students braved light rain to cheer on their local heroes.

Veddriq, along with weightlifter Rizki Juniansyah, was awarded Rp 6 billion ($382,561) each by the central government for winning gold in Paris.

Badminton player Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, who won bronze in the women’s singles, received Rp 1.65 billion ($105,184).

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