I have to admit I was wrong this time, that I underestimated the national team's performance at the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Vientiane, Laos.
I didn't believe the team could finally finish third in the medal tally. It was a sign of relief for sports stakeholders to see the national team following Thailand and Vietnam - after stalling in fifth place just two days before the closing ceremony.
Earning 43 gold, 53 silver and 74 bronze medals, Indonesia was still far behind from overall champion Thailand, which bagged 86 gold, 83 silver and 97 bronze, and second-placed Vietnam with 83 gold, 75 silver and 57 bronze.
Indeed, Indonesia's achievement was much better than two years ago when we finished fourth, and the athletes have fulfilled the target set by the National Sports Council (KONI) and the new sports minister Andi Mallarangeng.
The medal winners deserve to receive awards from the government and private sector - just the way it used to be.
The good result should be a stepping stone for Indonesia to do better at next year's Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. Minister Andi has already set a target for Indonesia to improve on its standing from four years ago, when it finished 22nd.
Despite the satisfaction of reaching the target in Laos, KONI and the sports ministry should quickly work hard for the Guangzhou Games. One thing to do immediately is evaluate the national team's performance, compared to rivals, especially Thailand and Vietnam.
Thailand - which has dominated the regional games since 1999 - took much of its medals from track-and-field (14 gold, 20 silver and 14 bronze) and shooting (10 gold, eight silver and 12 bronze).
Thailand, also famous for its martial arts, pocketed seven golds from boxing and six from tae kwon do.
Vietnam - the surprise runner-up at the biennial event - collected 12 gold medals from shooting, eight from fin swimming and seven each from wushu, wrestling, track-and-field and judo.
Indonesia - which will host the 2011 SEA Games in Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang and Palembang - relied on track-and-field (seven golds), weightlifting (five golds) and badminton (four golds). The results, however, will not be enough in the future.
The country still relied on world-class badminton players - including Olympics gold medalists Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan in the men's doubles and Olympics silver medalists Nova Widianto and Lilyana Natsir in the mixed doubles -in Laos.
We also had familiar names such as Eko Yuli Irawan and Triyatno, both 2008 Olympics bronze medalists, winning gold medals in weightlifting at the SEA Games.
It is unfair for these athletes to be banned from competing at the SEA Games because the government always offers cash bonuses for medal winners. This year is no exception. Who would say no to a Rp 200 million (US$20,000) cash prize for each gold medal?
The temptation is irresistible for the athletes. Record-breaking sprinter Suryo Agung Wibowo earned a Rp 400 million bonus after snatching gold in the men's 100- and 200-meter sprints. It was the same for Triyatningsih, a double gold medalist in the women's 5,000 and 10,000 meters.
It is difficult for cash-strapped Indonesia to deploy a huge contingent to multi-sports events where KONI can also include young talents as backup to gain more experience in regional and international events.
However, the new Cabinet has ushered in a better atmosphere in the sports community. Minister Andi already held talks with KONI chairwoman Rita Subowo in a bid to allow both institutions to work better to prepare athletes for international events as well as groom younger talents - an improved atmosphere from the previous Cabinet.
With 11 months left, the collaboration between both institutions is expected to lay a more solid foundation for the development of sports in the country, which in the end will improve Indonesia's position regionally and worldwide.
When that time comes, I won't underestimate my national team any more.
