Thailand only expects 90 golds in SEA Games
Thailand only expects 90 golds in SEA Games
JAKARTA (JP): Thailand will only target to win 90 gold medals
at the 19th SEA Games here next week, an official said yesterday.
Thailand's chief-de-mission secretary-general Lt. Col. Ruj
Saeng-udom told reporters that normally his contingent only win
between 80 and 90 gold medals if the Games are staged outside his
country.
"In the Philippines and Singapore, we only won between 80 and
90 golds," said Ruj, who met Indonesia's National Sports
Council's secretary-general Rudolph Warouw yesterday.
Thailand will send 696 athletes, one-third of them newcomers.
"The newcomers are also prepared for the 1998 Asian Games in
Bangkok," Ruj said.
"However, we're still expecting our gold medalists to do well
here and to break their former records in the 1995 Games in
Chiang Mai, Thailand," he said.
Thailand expects to win gold medals in swimming, track and
field, shooting, gymnastics, boxing, weightlifting and tennis.
"I think our female tennis players can win gold because your
star Yayuk Basuki is playing in tournaments abroad," he said.
Ruj denied that Thailand's target this year was too low,
compared to its achievement in the last Games when the host won
157 gold medals.
"Our target is only 90 golds compared to host Indonesia, which
may win more than 150 golds," he said.
"It's normal for Indonesia to win 150 golds because our
selector commission has also analyzed each sports federation
about how many golds Indonesia may win," he added.
Stepping stone
Thailand will use the SEA Games as a stepping stone to reach
the top five in the next Asian Games.
"We only aim to win 10 gold medals in the Asian Games and we
believe that we can still reach the top five position," said Ruj,
adding that Thailand has chances in boxing, sepak takraw,
cycling, weightlifting and track and field.
Thailand is also confident that its soccer team will reach the
finals both in the SEA Games and the Asian Games.
"We have a 50-50 chance for both events, but it has to reach
the final," Ruj said.
The Thai government is considering handing over bonuses to its
gold medalists. In 1995, each gold medalist received 20,000 baht
(US$1,200).
"The private sector will also provide a bonus through each
sports association," he said.
Ruj, who arrived late Wednesday, will observe the Hotel Mulia
Senayan -- the official athletes' village -- and the Senayan
sports complex.
"I think, besides the hockey field, everything in the Senayan
area is OK," he said.
He will also observe the venues for sepak takraw in Kuningan
and tae kwon do in Bulungan, South Jakarta and the karate venue
in North Jakarta.
Advisor for the opening and closing ceremony, TB Silalahi,
told reporters at the Senayan Main Stadium that the Gebyar
Nusantara -- expected to be the most spectacular entertainment
for the Games opening ceremony -- will cost Rp 2.5 billion
(US$735,300).
"It's not expensive because during the one-hour show, which
will be broadcast throughout Southeast Asia, the sponsors will
promote their products and for that they pay for the costs," he
said.
The Rp 2.5 billion consists of Rp 1.8 billion to pay the meal
allowance for the 5,000 high-school students involved in the
three-month practice, Rp 500 million for costumes and accessories
and other necessities.
Martha Tilaar cosmetics is also providing Rp 100 million in
sponsorship for the students' make-up and Texmaco textile company
will provide 10,000 square meters of material to cover the main
stadium's grass court.
Silalahi said the Gebyar Nusantara entertainment program would
not receive money from the sticker sales.
The Gebyar Nusantara dances will feature a variety of
traditional dances from Aceh, Bali, Kalimantan, Yogyakarta, East
Java, Irian Jaya, South Sulawesi and Irian Jaya.
Each dance represents a sports event at the Games.
Former Indonesian shuttler Ferry Sonneville is expected to
light the torch symbolizing the Games' opening. (yan)