Jakarta gears up to greet winners<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A parade through the capital has been planned
\nfor tomorrow to welcome home Indonesia's Olympians.<\/p>\n
It remains doubtful however whether huge crowds will turn out
\nas they did four years ago, but the Indonesian athletes have
\nsomething to cheer with their medals.<\/p>\n
Spokesman of the National Sports Council, Ishadi SK, told
\nreporters after a meeting with the council's officials yesterday
\nthat the national squad will be transported in open cars from
\nSoekarno-Hatta International Airport to the council's office on
\nJl. Jendral Sudirman, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Ishadi said that either Coordinating Minister for People's
\nWelfare Azwar Anas or State Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports
\nHayono Isman will lead a ceremony prior to the team's arrival at
\n10.00 a.m.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the council, Wismoyo Arismunandar, will receive
\nthe contingent at his office.<\/p>\n
Indonesia won one gold, one silver and two bronze medals, a
\ndrop from the two golds it won in 1992. All the medals came from
\nbadminton.<\/p>\n
The gold was won by men's duo Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky,
\nwho beat Malaysian pair Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock in the
\nfinal.<\/p>\n
The country's young badminton hope Mia Audina had to settle
\nfor the silver after losing to Bang Soo-hyun, the conqueror of
\nbadminton queen Susi Susanti in the semifinals.<\/p>\n
Susi, gold medalist in 1992, returns home with a bronze after
\nbeating Kim Ji-hyun in the playoff.<\/p>\n
Another men's pair, Antonius and Denny Kantono, won the other
\nbronze.<\/p>\n
Hayono indicated that during the welcome ceremony, both Ricky
\nand Rexy will be awarded the Bintang Utama medal from the
\ngovernment for their Olympic success.<\/p>\n
However, Ishadi said that the State Secretary has yet to
\nconfirm the award.<\/p>\n
Susi and Alan Budikusuma were granted the same medals from the
\ngovernment for their triumph in the 1992 Olympics.<\/p>\n
Ishadi also refused to disclose any possibility of awarding
\ncash bonuses to the athletes, a tradition that has long existed
\nhere.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not authorized to disclose such information. It's all up
\nto the chairman,\" he said. Ishadi hinted last year that the
\ncouncil had planned to give Olympic gold medal winners Rp 1
\nbillion. (yan)<\/p>",
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