KONI reflects on SEA Games defeat

KONI reflects on SEA Games defeat

JAKARTA (JP): National sports leaders admitted yesterday that
lack of preparation tops the list of factors causing the poor
results achieved by Indonesian athletes at the just concluded
18th Southeast Asian Games.

In a meeting led by chairman of the National Sports Council
(KONI) Wismoyo Arismunandar yesterday, coaches and team managers
of all sports in which Indonesia took part in the Games shared
the blame.

Pieter Noya, head coach for track and field, told reporters
during a break in the meeting at the KONI office that sports
officials did not provide themselves with information about the
progress made by rival athletes.

Citing an example, Pieter said that the Indonesian Track and
Field Association overlooked two Philippine track and field
athletes, Hector Begeo and Lasketti.

"Begeo, for example, lives and trains in Australia. We failed
to know his up-to-date record because our athletes never met him
in a sports event before the Games," Pieter said.

Indonesia managed only seven gold, eight silver and 10 bronze
medals from track and field, far below the set target of 11 gold
medals. In contrast, Thailand's spirited athletes dashed to a
haul of 21 golds, 11 silvers and 11 bronzes.

Pieter refused to recommend that Indonesian athletes undergo
overseas stints to keep up with their competitors.

"It depends on our athletes. Athletics is a sport for all here
and our athletes come from lower-income society. How can we send
them abroad if they do not live properly," he added.

An official of the Indonesian Archery Association, M. Dahlan,
said that the country's archers lacked mental preparation for
such an international event.

"They blew everything when they failed to maintain their nerve
at the most deciding moment," Dahlan said.

Indonesia, which made clean sweeps in the two previous
episodes of the Games, won two face-saving golds after a series
of upsets produced by its opponents from the Philippines in the
individual events. The Filipinos took two golds and a bronze.

Dahlan declined to blame the boisterous support from
Indonesian fans for distracting his athletes's concentration
during the competitions.

"We can't prevent our supporters from clapping their hands.
Athletes should deal with it," he said.

None of the people attending the meeting were wiling to
disclose the results of the discussion. Project officer of the
national SEA Games team, Arie Sudewo, was also present at the
gathering. (05)