Medalist to use bonus to pay rent

Medalist to use bonus to pay rent

JAKARTA (JP): A weight lifter said yesterday that she will use
her Rp 25 million (US$10,770) bonus for winning a gold medal at
the 18th Southeast Asian Games to pay her rent and other
expenses.

Patmawati, the only Indonesian female lifter to collect a gold
so far, said she will use her bonus to pay her rent and help her
parents rebuild their house in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi.

Patmawati won the gold in the 64kg category with a total lift
of 210 kilograms on Tuesday.

Patmawati, who moved to West Java in 1992, said she was very
happy contributing a gold to the country's tally but also felt
sad that her two teammates failed to win gold.

Patmawati said she moved to West Java because she wanted a
better future. Unfortunately, the provincial sports council has
not yet given her the house or bonuses it promised.

"The local administration has not yet provided me with a house
although the provincial sports council gave them a note for the
house," said Patmawati, the mother of a son.

Patmawati, who started weight lifting in 1989, was quoted by
Antara as saying that the national sports body helped her rent a
house for Rp 2.5 million a year.

"Today I have to renew the contract and pay the rent. I had to
leave my son at my parents' house in Roxy, West Jakarta, to
concentrate on the training session for the Games," she said.

Patmawati, who won gold medal at the 1991 SEA Games in Manila,
wants the government to pay greater attention to athletes like
her.

"We have the burden of winning gold medals and I'm glad that I
can contribute," she said.

"All I want is a house of my own for my family so I'll be able
to concentrate and win other championships," she stated. (05)