RI unsure of Student Games win

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia lowered its pre-match boast of wresting the overall title from Thailand in the ASEAN Student Games in Bandar Sri Begawan next week after it was announced yesterday that several key team members had opted out of the event.

Enoch Markum, a top official in the Indonesian team, said during his squad's send-off ceremony that several top athletes had decided to skip the biennial event due to their provincial commitments. "They are focusing on the National Games in September," he said.

About 130 students will take part in the event, scheduled from July 20 to July 26. It will feature swimming, track and field, soccer, sepak takraw, hockey and pencak silat.

In the 1994 meet in Singapore, Thailand topped the medals tally with 52 golds, 34 silvers and 16 bronzes. Indonesia finished a distant second with 24 golds, 38 silvers and 33 bronzes. (yan)