Poor showing by RI team in Busan Asiad

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Busan, South Korea

Indonesia is still without a gold medal after four days of competition at the 14th Asian Games here.

The athletes tally of just one silver and two bronze medals is well short of the National Sports Council (KONI)'s aim "to bring home more than six gold medals won in the previous Bangkok Asiad."

President Megawati Soekarnoputri set an even more ambitious target of 15 gold medals which many sports observers deemed "somewhat impossible."

On Wednesday, cyclist Uyun Muzizah won Indonesia's first silver of the games during the women's individual road race in Busan's northern district of Gijang.

Indonesian women's weightlifter Tanti Pratiwi won bronze in the 58-kilogram weight division at Pukyong University gymnasium.

South Korean Kim Yong-mi won the gold medal in the 96.8- kilometer women's individual road race while Chinese Jiang Yanxia took the bronze.

Indonesian officials have played down the medal drought.

"I don't think we have failed already because it is only the fourth day," Indonesian chef de mission Rudolf S. Warouw told reporters after the cycling event's victory ceremony.

"Events where Indonesia has better chances of winning gold are yet to start."

Badminton, for example, begins on Sunday with the men's team event. The shuttlers are expected to win two gold medals amid strong competition from other Asian countries like China, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand.

Later in the afternoon, Tanti equaled her compatriot's feat in winning a medal for Indonesia. Earlier on Monday, Raema Lisa Rumbewas won bronze in the women's under-48-kilogram weight division.

Tanti lifted a total of 212.5 kilograms as just did Shwe Sin Win of Myanmar. Tanti, however, was awarded the bronze medal as she weighed 57.20 kilograms compared to Shwe Sin Win's 57.35 kilograms.

Indonesia's rowers failed completely, with none winning any of the medals during racing on the Nakdong river.