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Low expectations for medals at 1st youth games
Indonesia will send a contingent to the inaugural Youth Olympic Games but with lowered enthusiasm and expectation of bringing home medals due to lack of funding and support from the government as well as a lack preparation
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ndonesia will send a contingent to the inaugural Youth Olympic Games but with lowered enthusiasm and expectation of bringing home medals due to lack of funding and support from the government as well as a lack preparation.
Indonesia will send ten youth athletes, six coaches and three managers to the multi-sports event including three swimmers, two shuttlers, two weightlifters, one taekwondo athletes, one tennis player and one archer.
“Half of our athletes did not qualify but were given a wild card by the International Olympics Committee,” national training chief Djoko Pramono told The Jakarta Post Tuesday.
“I hope our shuttlers and weightlifters continue their outstanding performance in winning medals as occurred at the Olympic Games.”
The Indonesian boys’ weightlifting squad booked a spot in the Games in May last year after finishing 12th at the first Youth World Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
In April this year, the female weightlifters also secured a spot at the Games when the squad finished in the top three at the Asian qualifiers in Tashkent.
The two best weightlifters, Rifaldi Ahmad and Dewi Safitri, were chosen to represent the country at the event.
The country’s three youth swimmers, Fibriani Ratna Marita, Pratama Siahaan, and Patrisia Yosita, also booked their places at the Youth Olympics.
Youth shuttlers Renna Suwarno and Evert Sukamta also qualified for the Games through the Asian Youth U-19 Championship in Kuala Lumpur last April. Renna made it to the semifinals while Evert was knocked out in the quarterfinals.
Tennis player Grace Sari Ysidori, archer Erlina Safitri and Taekwondo athlete Macho V. Hungan also qualified for the Games.
After their qualification, the National Sports Committee (KONI) requested funding from the government in May but the request was only approved in early July.
The government allocated about Rp.120 million (US$13,200) for one month of preparation for the event. Each athlete received Rp. 2.5 million a month in addition to Rp.
150,000 a day for lodging as well as Rp. 150,000 a month for daily expenses. Each coach and manager received Rp. 5 million a month.
“It took us months to get the money. What can we expect from one month of preparation? Getting bronze would make us happy,” Djoko said.
The inaugural Youth Olympic Games will be held in Singapore from August 14 to 26. The Games are expected to be an international multi-sports event held every four year with staggered summer and winter events consistent with the current Olympic Games format. The Games will feature athletes between the ages of 14 and 18.
Fifteen sports disciplines will feature at the games, including aquatics, athletics, archery, boxing, fencing, gymnastics and trampoline, sailing, table tennis, equestrian sports, weightlifting, wrestling and volleyball.
After their qualification, the National Sports Committee (KONI) requested funding from the government in May but the request was only approved in early July.
