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)