The Dubai 2025 Asian Youth Para Games brought together some of the most talented emerging swimmers from the Asian countries.
Indonesia delivered a big surprise at the Dubai 2025 Asian Youth Para Games after jumping to sixth place in the medal standings as of Friday evening (12/12/25). The team collected a total of 59 medals overall, with 26 medals so far in Para Swiming alone (11 gold, 11 silver, and 4 bronze).
This surpassed their original target of 4 gold, 8 silver, and 10 bronze.
One of the brightest stars was Abdil Majid Rahman, who competed in six events and won four gold medals and two silver medals. His outstanding performance matched fellow swimmer Siti Aisyah, who also collected four gold medals during the competition. Other swimmers like Iput Etri Hafana from Central Java and I Komang Aditya Pradnyana from Bali also added gold for Indonesia.
Coach Agni Herarta Anindya Satria expressed his joy after the eight swimmers brought home a total of 26 medals.
“This is a surprise for us because at first we did not set a high target. But the children showed progress. They could bring their training results into the competition,” he said.
One special achievement came from Abdil, who finished the 100m breaststroke S7 with a time of 1 minute 21 seconds, which already meets the qualification standard for the Para Swimming World Championship.
Coach Agni said, “We feel optimistic about their future because they are still very young.”
Abdil could not hide his happiness after winning six medals in his first international event.
“This is a surprise for me. The competition was very tough. I did not expect to win six medals,” he said.
He dedicated his medals to his school SKODI, his province, and his parents.
Uzbekistan tops the medal tally
Uzbekistan dominated the medal tally in para swimming with an outstanding 59 medals, including an impressive 36 gold, 15 silver, and 8 bronze.
Japan followed closely in second place, delivering a confident and composed campaign. With 63 medals overall – 33 gold, 21 silver, and 9 bronze – the Japanese team showcased consistency, precision, and a strong pipeline of elite talent.
The Islamic Republic of Iran claimed third place in the para swimming medal table, collecting a remarkable 104 medals, including 23 gold, 39 silver, and 42 bronze.
Thailand continued its inspiring upward journey in regional para swimming, securing 50 medals—14 gold, 19 silver, and 17 bronze.
Kazakhstan finished fifth, earning 34 medals in total with 14 gold, 13 silver, and 7 bronze, a result that reflects steady growth and a bright future for the country’s para swimming program.
Competing in front of a home crowd, the United Arab Emirates proudly added three bronze medals in para swimming, moments that were celebrated with heartfelt support from the stands and symbolized the continued development of para sport in the host nation.
Together, these performances captured the spirit of the competition – where determination, opportunity, and belief of these young swimmers came together to create unforgettable moments in the pool.
