Indonesian squad collects 7 golds, drops to fourth place
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Into the fourth day of the 22nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games Indonesia dropped to fourth place after host Vietnam, Thailand and defending champion Malaysia although its sportsmen managed to collect seven gold medals.
The national men's badminton team managed to win back the gold after defeating Thailand 3-1 to soothe disappointment in the women's team that failed to reach the final.
Two years ago, Indonesia bowed out to Malaysia in the finals.
Two-time Asian champion Sony Dwi Kuncoro lost the opening match to Boonsak Polsana 13-15, 2-15. Three other victories from the country's second stringers of Simon Santoso, doubles Luluk Hadiyanto and Alvent Yulianto and Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan enabled them to secure the gold.
Singapore surprisingly overcame Thailand 3-2 to take the women's team gold in the finals at the Tan Binh Sports Center in Ho Chi Minh City.
Four new SEA Games records were set on the track and field event at the My Dinh National Stadium with Indonesian Ni Putu Desi Margawati sharpening her own SEA Games record from 3.90 meters to 3.95 meters in the women's pole vault to claim the gold.
Gymnast Dewi Prahara contributed another gold from the women's horse vault.
Indonesia's martial arts contenders also kept their winning streak with karatekas in Hanoi and judokas in Ho Chi Minh City contributing two gold medals respectively.
However, the athletes achievement did not prevent the country from slipping to fourth place in the overall standings with 18 golds.
Malaysia, spurred by its winning swimmers and gymnasts, leapfrogged to third place with 19 golds while Thailand was second with 31 golds, thanks to its domination at the aquatic center and track and field, from which it hauled a combined eight golds.
While the two countries and Singapore joined the gold celebration in aquatics, Indonesia's swimmers and divers contributed two silvers.
Andy Wibowo led Lim Keng Liat of Malaysia in the first 50 meters during the men's 100 meters butterfly. But after the turn, the Indonesian slowed down to finish almost half a second behind eventual gold medalist Lim who set a new record of 55.04 seconds.
Diver Shenny Ratna Amelia finished second to Malaysian Leon Mung Yee in the women's 10m platform.
Vietnam's gold rush continued with its marksmen bagging another seven from the shooting range where Indonesia's trio of Herce Meiske Tumbuan, Puji Lestari and Hasmawarni took a silver in the Women's Team 10 Running Target.
Almost half of the 442 gold medals have been distributed to 10 of 11 participating countries. About 40 gold medals will be up for grabs on Tuesday in 15 sports with canoeing and wrestling offering eight each.