Java remains dominant force at PON<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post\/Palembang<\/p>\n
The 16th National Games officially came to close here on
\nTuesday with Vice President Hamzah Haz calling for teams outside
\nJava to pursue their efforts to catch up with their Java's
\nrivals.<\/p>\n
\"Congratulation to South Sumatra which has been successful to
\nhold this National Games,\" Hamzah said during the closing
\nceremony at the Sriwijaya Stadium inside the Jakabaring sports
\ncompound.<\/p>\n
South Sumatra emerged as the most gold winner outside Java
\nwith 30 to finish in fifth place in the event.<\/p>\n
Though, its gold haul was still far behind fourth-placed
\nCentral Java, which collected 56 golds.<\/p>\n
Jakarta returned to its perch with a formidable collection of
\n141 gold followed by outgoing champion East Java and West Java.<\/p>\n
East Java and West Java finished with an equal gold haul of 76
\nbut the former champion had more silvers -- 81 compared to West
\nJava's 79.<\/p>\n
Jakarta's success left the team beaming.<\/p>\n
\"We have met our target of winning between 130 to 160 gold
\nmedals,\" Taufik Yudhi Mulyanto, a team's official, said
\nseparately.<\/p>\n
A total of 625 gold, 625 silver and 790 bronze medals were
\ndistributed to 30 participating provinces which competed in 41
\nsports from Aug. 30 to Sept. 13.<\/p>\n
One record world was shattered in powerlifting courtesy of
\nSutrisno, who improved his own record from 715 kilograms to 725
\nkilograms.<\/p>\n
However, overall the championship looked lackluster with only
\na few new record breakings.<\/p>\n
Powerlifting appeared to be most productive with 45 national
\nrecords in 19 division having been shattered. New three national
\nrecords were set weightlifting, five in swimming, four in
\nshooting and only one in track and field. 34 new Games record
\nwere also set.<\/p>\n
The result had came to a mockery to Hamzah's dream that
\nIndonesia would be able to break into world's top ten in the
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
Tuesday's ceremony was marked with procession of athletes
\ngrouped according to their sports.<\/p>\n
At 8:30 p.m. Hamzah declared the event close after which
\nfireworks were released and the sell-out spectators at the
\n35,000-capacity stadium were entertained by a series of dance and
\nsong shows.<\/p>\n
The championship left a sour note as the organizers were still
\nunable to decide the winner in soccer between East Java and
\nPapua.<\/p>\n
Tied at 1-1 on Monday's final, the two teams played the 2x15-
\nminute extra time, but the match was stopped to the absence of
\nfloodlight at Patrajaya stadium. The two teams refused to play
\nout the remaining time, insisting that they were declared co-
\nwinners.<\/p>\n
The closing ceremony was marked with the hand over of the
\nNational Games flag from South Sumatra Governor Syahrial Oesman
\nto his East Kalimantan counterpart Suwarna AF.<\/p>\n
East Kalimantan will host the 2008 National Games.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/java-remains-dominant-force-at-pon-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }