RI sweeps 30 golds at Arafura Games

By Primastuti Handayani

DARWIN, Australia (JP): The eight-day Arafura Games in Darwin ended Saturday, with the Indonesian team sweeping 30 golds, 21 silvers and 17 bronzes.

Indonesia, which sent mostly second-string athletes except for softball, gymnastics and track and field, used the biennial event as a warm up for the SEA Games in Jakarta in October.

Indonesia finished third after Australia, which fielded 11 teams scooping 135 golds, 128 silvers and 136 bronzes.

Malaysia, which fielded six teams, finished second with 35 golds, 32 silvers and 32 bronzes.

Other SEA Games countries -- Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam and Singapore -- also sent second-string athletes to the Games, leaving the Indonesian contingent little knowledge about their strength for the SEA Games. Most of their athletes are training in the United States or Europe.

Indonesia has five months to improve its athletes' performances.

Some coaches in the Indonesian team have complained about their athletes lack of international experience, saying it stops them improving their competitive spirit despite their good technique.

Russian gymnastics coach Ioury Kouznetzov said after the gymnastics competition that the four gymnasts -- Sherly Novitasari, Eliningsih, Nurfiana Akhmadi and Helda Sulistina -- only had the Arafura Games as a tryout for the SEA Games.

"They need more international competition. We only had the Arafura Games but I think three golds will improve their fighting spirit," he said.

The four gymnasts performed poorly on the first day of competition but improved on the second and third days by taking three golds and three bronzes.

In track and field, Indonesia only won three golds and three silvers. National sprinter Rabaiya, who did not follow the women's national team to a training camp in Houston, Texas, was no match for Australia's Nova Peris-Kneebone, an Olympic hockey gold medalist turned sprinter, in the prestigious women's 100 meters.

Rabaiya, who only joined the national squad a month ago, finished fourth in 12.28, far behind her personal best of 11.95.

"I could have done better if I had practiced longer. But I'll try to make up for it up at the SEA Games," Rabaiya said.

Indonesia's Ahmad Suprianto came fourth in the men's 100 meters in 10.79, 0.13 seconds behind his personal best.

His coach, Johny Makawimbang, blamed the poor performance on a late start. But Ahmad and Rabaiya have a long way to go to beat their rivals at the SEA Games.

There will be almost 100 gold medals on offer in Gymnastics and track and field at the biennial event. And Indonesia is pulling out all stops to prevent Thailand humiliating its team at home.

"We have to regain our honor which was taken away by Thailand in the 1995 Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand," said Wismoyo Arismunandar, National Sports Council chairman.

With only five months left, Indonesia's athletes, coaches and officials have a tough job ahead to take the SEA Games overall title from Thailand.

But can they do it? We must wait until October to find out.