Big bonuses for best SEAG athletes
JAKARTA (JP): To honor the successful members of the Indonesian 19th SEA Games contingent, the organizing consortium and National Sports Council handed over bonuses in the form of insurance policies yesterday.
Cyclist Nurhayati and gymnast Jonathan Mangiring Sianturi each received Rp 125 million (US$34,720), 80 percent in policies and the rest in cash. They will be given the cash today.
Both Nurhayati and Jonathan won five golds in individual events during the Games, which started on Oct. 11 and ended Sunday. Jonathan also won another gold in the team event, completing his supremacy with six golds.
"I thank God for his blessings and for giving us a good leader who pays so much attention to his athletes," Jonathan said after receiving the bonus.
Speechless Nurhayati could only thank everyone for the attention she had received.
They also received motorcycles from PT Yamaha, along with runner Supriati Sutono, who won three golds and broke three SEA Games records, and swimmers Catherine Surya and Rita Mariani, who broke two SEA Games records.
Weight lifter Sri Indriyani received a 36-square-meter house in Cibinong, Bogor, from PT Daksa for her outstanding performance in breaking a junior world record.
Although weight lifter Kassaraporn Suta of Thailand broke the world record in the clean and jerk in her category, but in the multi-event her total lift did not eclipse the old record.
State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman said in his speech: "The Thai weight lifter only broke the clean and jerk record not the total lift record as required in the multi- event. That's why Sri Indriyani deserves the house more than her."
PT Aspac also gave Rp 2 million in cash to athletes who performed outstandingly and beat higher ranked players. Hatimin and Lampa in rowing, who each won five golds; Wukirasih Sawondari and Liza Andriyani who defeated Thailand's world ranked 37th tennis player Tamarine Tanasugarn; and Candra Wijaya/Elyza, who beat world number one shuttlers Tri Kusharjanto/Minarti Timur in the badminton mixed doubles individual event, received the bonuses.
Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar said: "You enable the nation to walk tall again. You have returned the country's dignity despite pessimistic forecasts about your likely performance before the Games started."
"Next year, we'll face a bigger challenge to compete in the 15th Asian Games in Bangkok and other international events."
Sports observer Mangombar Ferdinand Siregar said: "There will be a great need to train and to compete overseas, not only here at home. The athletes can't develop a tough mental attitude without experiencing lots of competition."
Earlier, the Games consortium's executive director, Bambang Yoga Sugama, said the consortium still had to pay the accommodation arrears, amounting to 30 percent of the total bill, the cost of returning the visiting contingents' sports equipment home and other miscellaneous expenses.
"Some of our profits are being used to finance the transportation department."
The consortium imported hundreds of built-up cars for the Games.
The council's treasurer, Setya Novanto, said the Ministry of Transportation had given Rp 15 billion to the consortium raised from sticker sales in airports. (04/yan)