VP lends moral support to RI Asiad team<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Vice president Hamzah Haz has urged the Indonesian sporting
\ndelegation to the Asian Games to do its utmost for the sake of
\nthe nation and the country, according to a contingent's official.<\/p>\n
\"The vice-president said he was eager for the athletes to
\nexcel their effort to gain an achievement at the Asian Games,\"
\nImron ZS, who is in charge of operational affairs, told reporters
\nat the headquarters of the National Sports Council (KONI) here on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
The Asian Games will run in Busan, South Korea, from Sept. 29
\nto Oct. 14.<\/p>\n
\"Although we will compete only in 20 sports, or more than 50
\npercent from 38 sports on the list, we are lucky that we are
\nstill able to send representatives to Busan given our unfortunate
\ncondition in the wake of the monetary crisis,\" Hamzah said as
\nquoted by Imron.<\/p>\n
Imron said that except for the yacht team, all the contingent
\nmembers including officials and representatives of KONI-
\naffiliated sports organizations were received by Hamzah Haz at
\nhis office in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will go to Busan with 160 members, 100 of whom are
\nathletes from 20 sports. The yacht team comprising of athletes
\nOka Sulaksana, Fadly Faisal Yusuf and manager Gurhadi
\nKartasasmita have already headed to Busan on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Earlier, KONI's officials, led by chairman Wismoyo
\nArismunandar, was invited to a breakfast party, hosted by Busan
\nMayor Ahn Sang-young.<\/p>\n
The informal meeting, which was held at the Shangri-La Hotel,
\nwas part of Ahn's Asian tour ahead of the opening of the Asian
\nGames. His next stop will be in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
The vice president, according to Imron, reminded the athletes
\nand officials of two fighting elements they could not afford to
\nlose out while in matches.<\/p>\n
\"We should not only use \"muscle\" but also \"brain\" so that we
\ncan optimize what we have for our cause,\" Hamzah said as quoted
\nby Imron.<\/p>\n
When asked if Hamzah spoke about his wish about the medals the
\ncontingent was supposed to win, Imron said that the vice
\npresident just wished them good luck.<\/p>\n
It was the second occasion the athletes have met with the
\nstate's top officials.<\/p>\n
In July, President Megawati Soekarnoputri, accompanied by her
\nhusband Taufik Kiemas and a number of her Cabinet ministers,
\nallowed herself time to visit the athletes.<\/p>\n
The president urged the contingent to bring home 15 gold
\nmedals from Busan.<\/p>\n
At the last Asian Games in Bangkok four years ago, Indonesia
\nwon six gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze medals to finish in
\neleventh place among 42 participating countries.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/vp-lends-moral-support-to-ri-asiad-team-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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