Women's sepaktakraw team silences the doubters

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.