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)