National team arrives in Manila ready to do battle
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
As the main group of national athletes arrived in Manila on Thursday for the 23rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, a leading national sports official stressed that only athletes with a strong chance of medaling would compete.
"I have evaluated the reports from each sport's officials. Based on the latest condition of the athletes during the training buildup, I can say that the athletes are ready to fight to win and succeed," chef de mission Djoko Pramono was quoted as saying by Antara news service after 180 athletes and officials arrived in the afternoon.
Djoko, who is also deputy chairman of the National Sports Council (KONI), refused to set a target for medals at the 10-day Games that officially open on Sunday.
In September, however, he conceded that Indonesia -- a nine- time overall medal winner of the regional sporting showcase but with its last victory in 1997 at home -- would be unlikely to usurp powerful Thailand.
Thursday's group is part of the total national contingent of 779 athletes and 404 officials; another five batches -- including representatives of badminton, wrestling, wushu and table tennis who are scheduled to touch down on Friday -- will arrive on a staggered schedule through Tuesday.
Competition is already under way in the Games -- held in the Philippines for the third time in its 46-year history -- in water polo and soccer.
In Los Banos, Laguna, outside Manila, the national water polo team finally recorded a win after three losses, beating Malaysia 6-4 on Thursday.
Undefeated Singapore are assured the top spot on the podium when the Games' first gold is handed out on Friday, but Indonesia have a slim chance at a medal from their final game against Thailand.
"A win will probably earn us a bronze. Let's try and pray for that," team manager Andreas Legawa told Antara.
In Bacolod City, the national U-23 soccer team was held to its second straight goalless draw, with goalkeeper Samsider forced to fend off the spirited second-half attack of Singapore in Group B. The team, who drew with Myanmar on Tuesday, next play undefeated Vietnam -- who beat Singapore 2-1 and Laos 8-2 -- on Saturday.
In Marikina City, where women's soccer is making its debut as a medal sport, the Indonesian women suffered a 0-5 mauling by Myanmar.
"We have to acknowledge that our team lost on the mental front," women's team coach Hamdani Lubis said of the team, which also fell 1-2 to Thailand on Tuesday.
"If they already feel down, then their play will be erratic."
On Sunday, 15 gold medals will be up for grabs in six sports: karate (4) diving (3) athletics (3), chess (2), dancesport (2) and billiards and snooker (1).
Meanwhile, national fencing manager Suhartono Suratman said his athletes' performance should peak next week following training in China.
"I have carried out my job in giving them the chance to improve. Now it is all up to their aspirations and ambition to win. Fate also intervenes at times because fencing is a sport based on judging," he said upon the team's arrival from Guangzhou, China.