Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, witnessed the struggle of young Indonesian boxing athletes in the U-23 Asian Championships held on Sunday (12/7/26). Despite facing tough opponents in the semifinals, the host contingent managed to secure three bronze medals for their country.
The three athletes who contributed medals were Linda Sarui Langi Maililin in the women's minimumweight class (45-48 kg), Maria Mesita Manguntu in the women's light welterweight class (65 kg), and Riko Prayogi competing in the men's cruiserweight class (85 kg). All three had to concede defeat after an intense fight.
Linda Sarui Langi Maililin lost on points 0-5 against Mongolian boxer Sodon-od Binderiya. A similar fate befell Maria Mesita Manguntu, who lost to Uzbek boxer Sevinch Khurramova with an absolute score of 0-5. Meanwhile, Riko Prayogi was forced to end his match early after the referee issued a Referee Stops Contest (RSC) decision in the second round during his duel against Kazakh boxer Temirlan Mukatayev.
Currently, Indonesia still pins its hopes on four other representatives who are yet to compete in the championship, which is being held concurrently with the U-19 age category. This entire series of matches is expected to serve as a stepping stone for young boxers to hone their skills at the international level.
