Habibie visits athletes preparing for SEA Games

Habibie visits athletes preparing for SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie visited on Friday
athletes preparing for the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at
Senayan Madya Stadium.

Some 217 out of 348 athletes set to compete in the biennial
event in Brunei Darussalam next month attended the modest
ceremony.

Also attending the ceremony were State Minister of Youth
Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono, chairman of the National Sports
Council (KONI) Wismoyo Arismunandar, and the heads of several
sports organizations. They included: Mohamad "Bob" Hasan of the
Indonesian Amateur Athletic Association, Rahardi Ramelan of the
Indonesian Swimming Association, Primadi Tabrani of the
Indonesian Hockey Association, Minister of Defense and
Security/Indonesian Military chief Gen. Wiranto of the Indonesian
Karate-Do Association and Agum Gumelar of the All-Indonesian
Soccer Federation.

Habibie called on the athletes to try their best to set new
sporting records.

"The first thing is to maintain your achievement from two
years ago, either in national events or SEA Games.

"The next thing is to improve your performances and set
national records and even SEA Games records. This is important
because you represent all Indonesian people," Habibie told the
athletes and coaches.

He urged the athletes to maintain the spirit of sportsmanship.

"You should become accustomed to winning and losing with
dignity. If you win this time, you should maintain your
achievement, but if you lose, you will not lose forever."

Habibie said he hoped Indonesia would retain its championship
title.

"Being a champion continuously is very difficult, but if (the
athletes) lose this time, they will win next time. Judging from
the medal target, Insya Allah (God Willing), we can be the
champions. But I won't precede God, because winning or losing are
also determined by the athletes' physical condition and
situation.

"The President and all the people in the villages must
continue to pray for and support the athletes," Habibie told the
media after the ceremony.

Habibie chatted briefly with the athletes. He also posed for a
photograph with the swimming team, telling the competitors that
he liked the sport.

Swimming coach Gerald Item said he was happy the President
could spare some time for his proteges.

"This is the first time Pak Habibie visited us. When I
competed in the 1979 SEA Games, Pak Harto (the former president)
also visited us at the Senayan sports stadium," he said.

National basketball player Antonius Joko Endratmo said he
enjoyed Habibie's visit, but he complained of a long wait at the
stadium.

"We had to be there at 8 a.m., but the President arrived at 10
a.m.," he said.

SEA Games training director Imron Z.S. said he hoped the
President's visit would boost the athletes' motivation to win
medals.

He had a different recollection from Gerald Item regarding
presidential interest in Indonesian athletes.

"There has not been a presidential visit since Bung Karno
(Indonesia's first president) visited training for the 1962 Asian
Games. And I have never seen athletes and the President chat as
closely as this," he said.(ivy)