RI athletes arrive in Busan for Asian Games<\/p>\n
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Busan, South Korea<\/p>\n
The main batch of Indonesian athletes for the Busan 2002 Asian
\nGames arrived in the South Korean southern port city of Busan
\nafter a six-hour flight from Jakarta on Monday morning.<\/p>\n
The athletes say they are determined to realize the National
\nSports Council's (KONI) target of six gold medals.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri, however, has even higher
\nexpectations and has asked the athletes to try winning 15 gold
\nmedals instead of just six.<\/p>\n
The quadrennial sports event will officially commence on Sept.
\n29 and end on Oct. 14.<\/p>\n
The weather was mild with an average temperature of 12 degrees
\nCelsius. The average temperature during the Asiad is expected to
\nbe about 20 degrees Celcius.<\/p>\n
Despite the tiring flight, most of the athletes were in good
\nspirits upon their arrival at around 7 a.m. Busan time (5 a.m.
\nJakarta time).<\/p>\n
The 130-strong main contingent consisted of 51 athletes from
\n11 sports led by Indonesian chef-de-mission, Rudolf S. Warouw.
\nAlso traveling with the main group of athletes were several
\nsports officials and journalists.<\/p>\n
The athletes were swimmer Richard Sam Bera, judoka Endang Sri
\nLestari, pole vaulter Ni Putu Desy Margawati, hammer thrower
\nYurita Ariany Arsyad, six beach volleyball players, four pool
\nplayers, eight canoeists, five karatekas, nine rowers, eight tae
\nkwon doins, four weightlifters and six wushu athletes.<\/p>\n
The athletes and officials were greeted by deputy chef-de-
\nmission I Gusti Kompyang Manila and contingent secretary Rosa
\nHertamina.<\/p>\n
Last Monday, a small batch of 16 athletes led by Manila had
\nleft for Busan. They consisted of archers, cyclists and long-
\ndistance runner I Gde Karang Asem, who needed a longer
\nacclimatization period.<\/p>\n
Windsurfers I Gusti Made Oka Sulaksana and Fadly Faisal had
\nalready been here since Sept. 7 to check out Busan's windy
\nHaeundae beach, which will be the venue for windsurfing.<\/p>\n
Indonesian honorary consul in Busan, Kim Soo-il, was also
\npresent at Busan's Gimhae International Airport. Several
\nIndonesian workers were also seen greeting the contingent's
\narrival.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Kim told Indonesian reporters that Busan residents
\nfelt that the Asian Games were more their party compared to the
\n2002 World Cup co-hosted by South Korea and Japan.<\/p>\n
Busan was one of 10 South Korean cities hosting the
\nquadrennial soccer event where the South Korean team made history
\nby entering the semifinals stage to end in fourth place.<\/p>\n
To show local residents' support, the Dongnae Local Confucian
\nAcademy is slated to stage an ancient ritual on Tuesday in the
\nMyung Ryun Hall in Myung Ryun-dong to wish every success to the
\nBusan Asian Games.<\/p>\n
The Confucian ritual will begin at 10:30 a.m. local time.<\/p>\n
Kim, who is also dean of the Graduate School of International
\nManagement and Area Studies at Busan University of Foreign
\nStudies, added that Indonesia's was the first contingent to
\narrive here.<\/p>\n
Indonesian gymnast Jonathan Sianturi, and the men's tennis
\nplayers will leave on Tuesday. Meanwhile three bodybuilders, two
\ndivers and the badminton players will leave on Saturday.<\/p>",
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