Foreign fans wave flags for their athletes<\/p>\n
By Emmy Fitri<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Crowd support can make all the difference in a
\ntense game, but who is cheering on the foreign contingents in
\nthese Games in their quest for gold?<\/p>\n
A familiar face at the event is Lydia de Vega, formerly the
\nqueen of the 100 meters dash (her decade-old record still
\nstands). Now a sports broadcaster for a private television
\nstation in Manila, she took time out to support the Philippine
\nathletics squad yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"I love being here because, at the same time, I can encourage
\nmy juniors to run faster and to jump higher.\"<\/p>\n
No group of Philippine fans has come over specially for the
\nGames, she said. \"Our supporters are the fellow athletes, they
\ngive support to each other.\"<\/p>\n
Lydia mentioned David Yos Bunevacz, who enlisted the support
\nof his family.<\/p>\n
\"David brought his parents, his aunts and his girlfriend, who
\nis a Filipina actress,\" she said.<\/p>\n
There may not be any organized fan groups from the different
\ncountries, but expatriates residing in Jakarta and journalists
\nworking during the Games have come out in force for their teams.<\/p>\n
Suchela Phacaiyapoom, a Thai TV reporter, said she made time
\nfor her compatriots. \"I don't care whether we win or lose, the
\nthing is I like to give them support.\"<\/p>\n
Team officials are not just her to hobnob during the events.
\nThe president of the Malaysian amateur sport association, Datuk
\nKhalid Yunus, said he came to Jakarta to lend the athletes his
\npersonal encouragement.<\/p>\n
There had not been organization of a special fan trip, he
\nsaid, because \"our country can's afford that, we're not a rich
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\"I know some Malaysians came to Jakarta to support our team,
\nbut of their own willingness because nobody financed them\".<\/p>\n
Vietnamese sports officer Ting Nguyen Ba said about 30 to 40
\npeople accompanied him to the Senayan Complex for the women's
\nsoccer team against Indonesia. Nearly all were athletes on their
\ntime off.<\/p>\n
Myanmar's volleyball player Tin Win Aung also came with 20
\npeople yesterday to wave the flag for his country's soccer team.
\nThey handed out flags to other spectators and sounded their
\nsupport with traditional musical instruments.<\/p>",
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