Indonesia suffers medals drought

Indonesia suffers medals drought

JAKARTA (JP): Golds were scarce for Indonesia on Thursday and
with four days remaining at the 21st Southeast Asian Games, the
national contingent looks like having to abandon its dreams of
regaining the overall title.

Malaysia tightened its grip on the top of medal standings with
64 golds, followed by Thailand with 55 golds.

Past-time champion Indonesia remains third with 43 golds. With
most of its favorite sports having completed their events, it
will be hard for Indonesia to finish even second as it did in the
1999 Games in Brunei.

The poor run also befell the country's soccer team, which lost
1-2 to defending champion Thailand in the semifinals after taking
an early lead through Bambang Pamungkas. A golden goal in the
105th minute from Teepratep Vinothai denied Indonesia another
attempt to win the gold that has eluded it since 1991.

In the final on Saturday, Thailand will take on host Malaysia,
which beat Myanmar 1-0 in the other semifinal match on Thursday.

Thursday's competition could only produce five golds for
Indonesia, two each in rowing and weightlifting and one each in
athletics and judo.

The Kuala Lumpur SEA Games will surely be unforgettable for
Supriati Sutono as the Indonesian veteran set another new meet
record before her planned retirement.

After her laurel in the 10,000m, Supriati scored the best time
of 16:08.93 in the women's 5,000 to shatter her own record of
16:11.60 she made at the 1997 SEA Games. Pa Pa of Myanmar and
Doan Nu Truc Van of Vietnam finished second with a time of
16:19.10 and third with 16:40.71.

Supriati said she was seeking a triple when she races in the
1,500m on Friday.

"I will try my best to win tomorrow's competition in another
record-breaking time. It will be my personal memorial as I bid
farewell to the Games," she said.

But overall, the Indonesian track and field team's high hopes
suffered a cruel reversal, with officials admitting to being
'jolted' by the results. Supriati has gained the lone golds so
far for Indonesia.

The rowing competition ended at the Batu Gombak Reservoir,
Selangor, on Thursday with Indonesia coming out as the overall
winner with five golds.

The Indonesian lifters powered their way to two more gold
medals at the 21st Southeast Asian Games on Thursday, courtesy of
Yudi Suhartono and female compatriot Tanti Pratiwi.

Kresna Bayu handed the Indonesian judo team a gold on the
opening day of competition, which saw Thailand win three of the
four golds up for grabs.

Swimming competition also ended on Thursday with Thailand,
despite failing to add one to the tally, finishing on top in
swimming with 12 golds, followed by Malaysia with nine and
Singapore eight.

The final competition was marked with an upset defeat by SEA
Games' pool queen Joscelin Yeo at the hands of Moe Thu Aung of
Myanmar in the 50m freestyle.