Olympian men’s weightlifter Eko Yuli Irawan is still an Indonesian hero despite not winning any medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“Eko is our hero because he really inspires and fills the weightlifting world with so much color,” Chairman of the Indonesian National Olympic Committee (NOC) Raja Sapta Oktohari stated here on Thursday.
Eko did not win a medal while competing in the men’s 61 kg class at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday (August 7) evening.
He had three attempts in the snatch lift. During the snatch, he failed his first attempt at 135 kg but succeeded in the second. His third attempt at 139 kg was unsuccessful.
The lifter from Lampung Province was in good form during the snatch lift, though he experienced pain in the thigh during the clean and jerk warm-up.
He also failed all three attempts in the clean and jerk, with a maximum weight of 165 kg.
In the third attempt, he injured his feet and walked limping while leaving the arena.
Failing to make a podium finish, Eko apologized to all Indonesian people.
“I apologize to all Indonesian people for not being able to win a medal. However, I gave it my all until the very end,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s chef de mission for the Olympics, Anindya Bakrie, stated that Eko had tried his best.
Bakrie sought the prayers of all Indonesians for his quick recovery.
Eko’s last Olympics will be the Paris Olympics. After this, he plans to build a gym for young people.
Eko won four medals from four Olympic editions. In his debut at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he won a bronze medal.
He bagged another bronze at the 2012 London Olympics and silver medals at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and in Tokyo 2020.