Women's sepaktakraw team silences the doubters
Moch. N. Kurniawan The Jakarta Post/Cebu, Cebu City
With the National Sports Council (KONI) stressing that only athletes with a realistic chance of getting a medal would go to the Southheast Asian (SEA) Games, it seemed the women's sepaktakraw team would be left at home.
After their coach pleaded their case, a last-minute decision allowed the women to leave for the Philippines.
The women -- Rike Media Sari, Mersi Pabarrung, Alberthin Suryani, Dewi Handayani, Mawarni Pilsora, Jumasiah, Suriama, Waode Daano and Mega Citra Kusumadewi -- fulfilled that trust with a bronze medal last Tuesday in hoop takraw. Myanmar won gold and the host team was second.
"We almost didn't send the women's team to the Games because we weren't sure they would win a medal," said Indonesia's chef de mission Djoko Pramono, who is also KONI's deputy chairman.
"But now they won bronze and it is a good gift for us."
The women are competing in hoop -- where the ball is passed behind the back through a hoop -- as well as team and doubles events.
The men's hoop team also won bronze on Tuesday, behind Myanmar and Thailand. On Thursday, Indonesia exceeed its Vietnam 2003 total of two medals when the men's team took the bronze after losing to Malaysia, although the match was marred by a disputed call from the Indonesian camp.
The women finished out of the medals.
For national sepaktakraw team manager M. Sidik, the women's team's success met his expectations from their marked improvement in the past two years. Good regional showings included third place at the King's Cup in Thailand and Malaysia.
"That's why I convinced KONI that it should send the women's team to the SEA Games because the women also had a chance to medal," he said.
"Now that they won one, our team can go home with a smile on our face."
Sepaktakraw has yet to gain the popularity that it enjoys in Malaysia and Thailand, which dominate the sport in Asia. There were few fans to cheer on Indonesia during their matches.
"Despite the lack of supporters, we will continue to chase medals with all our ability," Taufik said.