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)