Overseas competitions needed, Agung says
JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono advised sports bodies on Wednesday to fund overseas warm- up competitions for their athletes ahead of the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam in August.
"Athletes appear prepared for the SEA Games but they should have more overseas tryouts to boost their confidence," he said after visiting the training centers for swimming, water polo, diving, squash and sepak takraw.
Agung urged the National Sports Council (KONI) and sports organizations to provide financial assistance for the overseas tryouts, saying the government already disbursed its budget allocation for the Games.
The National Development and Planning Board (Bappenas) and the Gelora Senayan Management Board (BPGS) provided Rp 5.5 billion (US$797,000) and Rp 4.5 billion respectively to finance the training.
Agung said previously that the government could not provide more funds, but he indicated on Wednesday that it would be able to dispense bonuses to the winners.
"There is extra money to be given as bonuses to successful athletes but KONI must decide the amount of the bonuses." He added the money might be taken from the state budget.
Agung said he was confident Indonesia could grab at least 70 golds to retain the overall title at the event from Aug. 7 to Aug. 15.
"We have a big chance to win 70 golds and even more. The training programs and human resources are well-prepared. Some sport bodies have even groomed potential juniors for the Games," he said.
Sepak takraw head coach Andi Ali Saladdin said athletes would only have domestic tryouts in Bandung, Semarang and Surabaya to prepare for the event due to the economic crisis.
The Indonesian Sepak Takraw Association (Persetasi) picked the men's national team of Jato, Miftah, Rasiwan, Tri Aji, Edi R., Asri Syam, Dodi, Eko, Masrianto, Narsum, Jasri and Ari Catur. No women's event will be featured at the Games because host Brunei has no women's team, Andi said.
Andi said Indonesia would be tested by Thailand and Malaysia in the event, but he was optimistic that his team could win a bronze.
"We have young players with high motivation. Ten out of 12 players come from the same region, Central Java, and this also has motivated the athletes to perform well in the Games. They are also preparing for the National Games next year in Surabaya," he said.
From the pool, the Indonesian Swimming Association (PRSI) only anticipates four golds from men's swimmers Richard Sam Bera and Wisnu Wardhana in the freestyle and Felix and Albert Sutanto in the backstroke and relay events.
Kristiono Sumono, PRSI deputy training director, said PRSI was forced to reduce its target following the withdrawal of two women's swimmers Catherine Surya and Rita Mariani, who won six out of 10 golds in the 1997 SEA Games here.
His statement contradicted KONI's prediction to take at least five golds swimming.
Rita, who was on Indonesia's team in the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok last year, withdrew because she said she was unprepared.
Catherine is undergoing medical treatment here after she injured her right thigh during training in Brisbane, Australia. The injury prevented her from competing in the Asiad. (ivy)