VP lends moral support to RI Asiad team
VP lends moral support to RI Asiad team
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Vice president Hamzah Haz has urged the Indonesian sporting
delegation to the Asian Games to do its utmost for the sake of
the nation and the country, according to a contingent's official.
"The vice-president said he was eager for the athletes to
excel their effort to gain an achievement at the Asian Games,"
Imron ZS, who is in charge of operational affairs, told reporters
at the headquarters of the National Sports Council (KONI) here on
Wednesday.
The Asian Games will run in Busan, South Korea, from Sept. 29
to Oct. 14.
"Although we will compete only in 20 sports, or more than 50
percent from 38 sports on the list, we are lucky that we are
still able to send representatives to Busan given our unfortunate
condition in the wake of the monetary crisis," Hamzah said as
quoted by Imron.
Imron said that except for the yacht team, all the contingent
members including officials and representatives of KONI-
affiliated sports organizations were received by Hamzah Haz at
his office in Central Jakarta.
Indonesia will go to Busan with 160 members, 100 of whom are
athletes from 20 sports. The yacht team comprising of athletes
Oka Sulaksana, Fadly Faisal Yusuf and manager Gurhadi
Kartasasmita have already headed to Busan on Saturday.
Earlier, KONI's officials, led by chairman Wismoyo
Arismunandar, was invited to a breakfast party, hosted by Busan
Mayor Ahn Sang-young.
The informal meeting, which was held at the Shangri-La Hotel,
was part of Ahn's Asian tour ahead of the opening of the Asian
Games. His next stop will be in Vietnam.
The vice president, according to Imron, reminded the athletes
and officials of two fighting elements they could not afford to
lose out while in matches.
"We should not only use "muscle" but also "brain" so that we
can optimize what we have for our cause," Hamzah said as quoted
by Imron.
When asked if Hamzah spoke about his wish about the medals the
contingent was supposed to win, Imron said that the vice
president just wished them good luck.
It was the second occasion the athletes have met with the
state's top officials.
In July, President Megawati Soekarnoputri, accompanied by her
husband Taufik Kiemas and a number of her Cabinet ministers,
allowed herself time to visit the athletes.
The president urged the contingent to bring home 15 gold
medals from Busan.
At the last Asian Games in Bangkok four years ago, Indonesia
won six gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze medals to finish in
eleventh place among 42 participating countries.