Olympics athletes must continue training for 2001 SEAG: Wismoyo<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Just less than 24 hours after returning home,
\nmembers of the Indonesian Olympics squad have been urged to start
\nconcentrating on the upcoming 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in
\nKuala Lumpur.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the National Sports Council (KONI) Wismoyo
\nArismunandar reminded athletes and coaches at the farewell
\nceremony Tuesday on the ambitious goal of reclaiming the overall
\ntitle from arch rival Thailand at the SEA Games.<\/p>\n
\"Don't stop here. The 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games is
\nawaiting us,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia -- which sent 47 athletes in 11 sporting events for
\nthe Olympics-- earned one gold, three silvers and two bronzes
\nfrom badminton and weightlifting.<\/p>\n
Indonesia only finished third at the 1999 SEA Games after
\nThailand and Malaysia, its worst performance since the country's
\nfirst participation in 1977.<\/p>\n
At the occasion, Wismoyo also urged sports organizations to
\nimprove its athletes development programs, starting from talent
\nscouting, training and competing.<\/p>\n
\"A proper talent scouting program will help the organizations
\npick potential athletes. They then must be trained to become
\nfuture champions. The organizations must start right away as we
\nare going to face the SEA Games. You must set the target now and
\nyou shouldn't wait until two months prior to the event.\"<\/p>\n
Wismoyo also encouraged athletes to increase the competitions
\nthey participated in, especially those abroad, to enrich their
\nexperience.<\/p>\n
\"Based on the Olympics overall evaluation, we concluded that
\nour athletes lacked competition. Therefore, athletes must compete
\nmore often,\" he said, adding that the public, businesspeople and
\nthe government would support the effort to develop sports.<\/p>\n
Cash bonus<\/p>\n
Gold medalists Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan, in badminton
\nmen's doubles, will receive Rp 500 million (US$56,820) each from
\nsponsors Extra Joss, an isotonic drink manufacturer.<\/p>\n
Silver medalists -- men's singles shuttler Hendrawan and
\nwomen's weightlifter Lisa Rumbewas -- will pocket Rp 300 million
\neach while mixed doubles shuttlers Tri Kusharjanto and Minarti
\nTimur will earn Rp 200 million each.<\/p>\n
Bronze medalists Sri Indriyani and Winarni are to receive Rp
\n150 million each. Weightlifting coaches, Lukman and Imron Rosadi,
\nwill receive Rp 50 million each.<\/p>\n
Wismoyo also announced that he would raise the bonus for
\nbadminton coaches from Rp 300 million to Rp 500 million.<\/p>\n
He asked head coach Christian Hadinata on the amount received
\nhe received four years ago in Atlanta -- when Indonesia took one
\ngold, thanks to Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky, one silver and
\ntwo bronzes -- and how many coaches were hired for this year's
\nOlympics.<\/p>\n
Just after Christian mentioned seven coaches, Hendrawan
\nprotested, saying: \"Pak, you must include physical trainer Paulus
\nPesurnay.\"<\/p>\n
Badminton coaches comprise men's singles coaches Agus Dwi
\nSantoso and Mulyo Handoyo, men's doubles coach Herry Imam
\nPierngadi, mixed doubles coach Richard Mainaky, women's singles
\ncoach Leung Chau-ha and women's doubles coach Imelda Wigoeno.<\/p>\n
In a sarcastic way, Wismoyo said that other participants who
\nyielded no medals in the Olympics would get Rp 3 million each.<\/p>\n
\"The 'Dayaks' will receive Rp 3 million each and they can
\ncollect the money in cash today.\"<\/p>\n
Earlier, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri received the
\ncontingent in her office and congratulated them on their
\nachievement.<\/p>\n
She also urged athletes to continue training and never easily
\ngive up.<\/p>\n
\"Send my warm regards to your families and don't forget to
\nkeep on training,\" she said, as quoted by Antara. (ivy)<\/p>",
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