Indonesian athletes pour into Chiang Mai

Indonesian athletes pour into Chiang Mai

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's huge team poured into Chiang Mai,
Thailand yesterday as the 18th Southeast Asian Games three-day
count-down began.

The squad of 386 athletes led by Arie Sudewo decamped in
Thailand's second largest city yesterday morning fully confident
of retaining their overall title. The second and smaller batch,
comprising 204 sportsmen and women and officials, landed later in
the evening.

"Although host Thailand is keen to break our winning streak,
we are going to fight it out to maintain the overall title," said
Arie, Indonesia's chef de mission and National Sports Council
vice chairman upon arrival at Chiang Mai airport.

Chairman of the council, Wismoyo Arismunandar, saw off the
contingent. A record-breaking 15-kilometer banner which featured
signatures and other expression of supports stretched out from
the council's office to the toll gate heading to Soekarno-Hatta
airport.

Defending champion Indonesia brought in 466 athletes, the
second largest team after Thailand. The figure was five fewer
than the original list due to Games rulings, injuries and
illnesses.

Two soccer players were dropped last week in order to match
the Games' rules of 18 and three runners made a last minute quit
because of typhoid.

World badminton queen Susi Susanti and Grand Prix Finals
champion Joko Suprianto are among the country's world best who
will compete in the regional sporting meet, slated to kick off on
Saturday.

Susi is making her first international appearance since she
limped off the China Open semifinals with a strained Achilles
tendon last month. The former world champion skipped the
following three tournaments.

A throng of journalists rushed up to the female singles player
with a barrack of questions as she came out of the airport,
Antara reported. When journalists asked for a quote, the smiling
Susi said: "Just to win two golds."

Arie said despite the strong push to retain the overall title,
Indonesia was entering the Games to promote friendship among
Southeast Asian nations.

Along with the Indonesian team, Brunei's 32 athletes, 100
Myanmarese athletes and 116 athletes from Singapore arrived in
Chiang Mai yesterday.

More than 4,000 athletes and officials from 10 countries will
be present at the nine-day sporting extravaganza, vying for a
total of 334 gold medals for in 28 sports. Traditional sport Muay
Thai has been added as an exhibition event. (yan/amd)