3 more athletes sick ahead of SEA Games

3 more athletes sick ahead of SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has received another blow on the eve
of the 18th Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with
three more of its best medal hopes being dropped from the team
because of illness.

Indonesian mission chief Arie Soedewo said here yesterday that
the three track and field athletes concerned are suffering from
typhus.

Earlier, four badminton players were injured during their final
preparations for the Games. One of them, Mia Audina, had to be
replaced by Lydia Djaelawidjaja. The other three are Susi
Susanti, Ricky Subagja and Hermawan Susanto.

Arie, who declined to reveal the names of the athletes,
remained optimistic about the chances of Indonesian athletics
team, which aims to collect 11 gold medals at the Games.

"Although three athletes have been diagnosed as having typhus,
it won't affect our chances of collecting gold medals," he said.

"There won't be any replacements for the three," he said. "But
we have other athletes in the respective sports who will fight
for our team," he added.

Arie, who presided over the farewell ceremony yesterday at the
Senayan Madya stadium, said that the three are still undergoing
treatment for their illness.

"Their recovery will take a long time. To reach their peak
performance for such a big event they'll need an even longer
time," he said.

Nunung Jayadi, a pole vault athlete who officials feared might
also have to drop out of the team due to illness, told reporters
yesterday that he felt fine. He said his condition had improved
after his parents gave him traditional medicine, adding that he
was ready to compete at the Games.

However, Nunung's coach said that the athlete still has to
undergo a medical checkup to ensure that he really is fit for the
Games.

Yesterday's ceremony was also the last opportunity for
Indonesia's Games contingent to practice its marching ahead of
the SEA Games opening ceremony in Chiang Mai on Saturday.

In a surprise development, Minister of Social Services Inten
Suweno and her husband, former chief executive of the National
Sports Council, arrived at the Senayan stadium after the ceremony
to wish the athletes all the best for the Games.

The athletes will depart today in two batches. Half of them
will leave on a 7 a.m. flight, while the rest are scheduled to
fly out of Jakarta at 5 p.m. (05)