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ational swimming coach Albert C. Sutanto expressed confidence that the country's swimmers heading to Laos next month would be able to make up for their failure two years ago.

"I am optimistic that they can perform far better than two years ago as they have improved both physically and mentally," he said, speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of the country's SEA Games squad Tuesday.

The Indonesian Aquatic Association (PRSI) has set a target of two gold medals, expected from 100-meter backstroke specialist Glenn Victor and the men's 4x100-meter relay.

According to the 34-year-old coach, apart from the two events, Omar Suryaatmadja in the men's 50-meter freestyle and Indra Gunawan in the 100-meter breaststroke also stand a chance to win gold.

"Their personal times have improved by 1.5 and 3 seconds respectively," Albert said, adding that swimmers from the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam would be tough medal contenders.

The last time Indonesian swimmers won four gold medals in the SEA Games was in the Philippines in 2005. The medallists were Richard Sambera in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle, Donny B. Utomo in the 200-meter butterfly, and the men's 4x100-m relay.

A total of 42 gold medals - comprising 32 in swimming, eight in diving and two in water polo - will be contested in the aquatics competition at the upcoming biennial Games which run from Dec. 9 to 16.

The PRSI will send 17 swimmers, six divers and 13 men's water polo players.

The six divers include Ahmad Sukran Jamjami, Husaini Noor, M. Nasrullah, Sari Ambarwati, Della Dinarsari, and Maria Natalie Dinda.

They are currently in Shenzhen, China, for an intensive three-week tryout, with the hopes of bolstering their two-gold-medal expectation.

Team manager Mochtar Yassin said their medal hopes would be pinned on the women's synchronized 3-meter springboard and men's synchronized 10-meter platform.

Meanwhile, the weight-lifting team has toned down its gold expectations. The Games' organizers will only contest 13 disciplines compared to 15 two years ago, and apply a quota system for participating countries.

The team said it would aim for four, one lower than two years ago.

Team manager Sonny Kasiran said each participating country would be allowed to send a maximum of nine lifters for the contest.

Among the 15-strong team are 2007 gold medalists Ni Luh Sinta Darmariani (women's 75 kilogram), Eko Yuli Irawan (men's 56 kilogram), Triyatno (men's 62 kilogram), Edi Kurniawan (men's 69 kilogram) and Sandow W. Nasution (men's 77 kilogram).