Jendi Panggabean

Jendi Panggabean Akmal was born on 10 June 1991. He is an Indonesian Swimming Athlete with Disabilities. He became the last Torchbearer and lit the cauldron of the 2018 Asian Para Games. Jendi Pangabean will be one of Indonesia's mainstays in the para-swimming branch of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. He has worked hard to get to his current position.

Winning four medals at the XIV Riau National Paralympic Week (Peparnas) 2012, including one gold in the 100m backstroke, seemed to be a turning point for Jendi Pangabean as a para-swimming athlete. The man who was born in Muara Enim, South Sumatra, 30 years ago, remembers his success in the event as the fruit of two years of sacrifice and hard work. Jendi also remembers that at that time she, who was about 21 years old, wanted to show her abilities to those who underestimated her as a person with a disability. Back a few years earlier when he was 12 years old, according to the official Paralympic website, Jendi had to lose his left leg after an accident. He was thrown from the motorcycle and his left leg was badly injured. At that time, according to Jendi, he was conscious and saw the condition of his broken leg. He lost so much blood that doctors decided to amputate Jendi's left leg. Losing her left leg didn't make Jendi feel anxious or less confident, but as she grew older that feeling of insecurity -- a term often used by Gen Z today -- emerged. "Initially, I was okay with one leg until I was in high school," said Jendi. He was aware of what he called his "shortcomings". However, Jendi did not drown with the situation. He managed to rise to build his confidence when he learned about the sport of para-swimming. Swimming has been Jendi's passion since childhood. He swam in the river while still in his hometown. In 2008 he started para-swimming when he moved to Palembang by joining the Lumban Tirta swimming club. Training at the club does not separate disabled swimmers, which actually motivates Jendi. Having studied management, from the Faculty of Economics, Tridinanti University, Palembang, Jendi then decided to focus on para-swimming in the second semester because his training schedule collided with the lecture class. The decision may have disappointed Jendi's parents, but she managed to prove to her parents that she can excel. Jendi's struggle began to bear fruit when he won 2 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze at the XIV Riau National Paralympic Week (Peparnas) 2012, an achievement that led him to enter the national training center or national training center.