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Indonesian athletes fired up for Malaysian trip
Financial strains did not deter the enthusiasm of the Indonesian para contingent, made up of 38 differently abled (diffabled) athletes, as they set out to compete in the ASEAN Paragames in Kuala Lumpur
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inancial strains did not deter the enthusiasm of the Indonesian para contingent, made up of 38 differently abled (diffabled) athletes, as they set out to compete in the ASEAN Paragames in Kuala Lumpur.
The fifth edition of the games will run from Aug. 15 to 19.
“Unlike two years ago, when we received Rp 1.5 billion [US$150,000] in financial support for the event, this year we only received Rp 1,022,516,000 from KONI [National Sports Council],” contingent head Kusnan Ismukanto said Monday at a press conference.
“That’s why we can only send 38 athletes.”
He added the fund was also insufficient for a training program.
“Nonetheless, the athletes are highly enthusiastic about the event. They trained in their own hometowns,” Kusnan said.
The 55-strong Indonesian contingent — 38 athletes and 17 officials — will depart Wednesday from Surakarta, Central Java.
Kusnan lamented the government’s lack of support.
“I have to admit, we received minimum support from the government,” said Kusnan, who also headed the country’s team of five to last year’s Paralympic Games in Beijing.
“I hope these athletes won’t be marginalized further.”
Indonesia won 34 gold, 24 silver and 21 bronze medals in Bangkok two years ago to stay fourth among 11 countries in the region.
This year, Indonesia will take part in seven of 12 sports — athletics (nine athletes), swimming (8), weight lifting (4), badminton (6), chess (2), table tennis (7) and wheelchair tennis (2).
Indonesia is not competing in the wheelchair basketball, volley, bowling, goal ball or judo.
