Athletes awarded for success and behavior
Athletes awarded for success and behavior
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council presented a total of
29 athletes from 19 sports with awards in recognition of their
achievements and model behavior at a ceremony held yesterday.
Thomas Cup hero Hendrawan was included on the list of
recipients of Satya Karya Bhakti Olahraga medals, as was fellow
badminton player Deyana Lomban, who helped the Indonesian team
reach the Uber Cup final last May.
The rising star Hendrawan, who played a major role in this
year's Thomas Cup victory, added the Singapore Open title to his
growing list of achievements on Sunday by toppling world number
one Peter Gade Christiansen of Denmark.
Other noted medal recipients were national soccer team players
Irwansyah and Alexander Pulalo, women's middle-distance runner
Supriati Sutono, men's marathon runner Eduardus Nabunome, women's
weightlifting world champion Winarni, female swimmer Catherine
Surya, who was named best athlete in the 19th Southeast Asian
Games last year, women's diver Nani Suryani and men's spiker
Loudry Maspaetella.
The award ceremony was held in conjunction with the 53rd
anniversary of Indonesian independence, which fell yesterday.
A member of the council's honor board, Soraya Perucha, told
Antara that the selected athletes deserved recognition for their
achievements, personalities and dedication to their respective
sports.
Female fencers Silvia Kristina and Sri Ayanti received medals
from the council's chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar on behalf of the
model athletes.
Speaking at the award presentation ceremony, Wismoyo asked all
athletes to take a lesson from the never-say-die attitude for
which their forefathers who struggled for national independence
were renowned.
"They were exemplary figures who taught us how to cope with
huge pressures and refuse to give up," Wismoyo said.
He said Indonesian athletes could help heal wounds inflicted
by the manifold crises if they performed commendably in the Asian
Games in December.
"This year's Asian Games is of strategic importance. We are
called upon to restore the country's wounded pride and image in
the international forum," Wismoyo said. (amd)