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Minister Imam tours Jakarta sports centers
On Thursday, just a day after taking office, Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi toured several sporting facilities in Jakarta, signaling his commitment to developing athletic talent during his five-year tenure
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n Thursday, just a day after taking office, Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi toured several sporting facilities in Jakarta, signaling his commitment to developing athletic talent during his five-year tenure.
He began his tour at the Madya Stadium in South Jakarta and finished at the Cipayung badminton center in East Jakarta, meeting with fencing, squash and table tennis athletes in between.
'I am impressed by my visit today ['¦] from athletics, fencing and on up to badminton,' he said as quoted in a press release from the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI).
'My visit today is to motivate athletes' spirit, to survey training facilities and to get closer with sports officials,' he said.
The politician from the National Awakening Party (PKB) officially took office on Wednesday, replacing Roy Suryo.
Imam arrived in Cipayung at 10 a.m. and was received by PBSI deputy secretary-general Achmad Budiharto.
He was taken on a tour of the center's facilities, including training courts, fitness halls and athletes' dormitories, where he held discussions with shuttlers.
'Olympic sports, especially those which have garnered medals for Indonesian athletes like weightlifting, archery and badminton, will get priority. We will also look for other sports that have medal prospects,' he said.
Badminton is the only Olympic sport to have netted gold medals for Indonesian athletes; in 1992, Susi Susanti and Alan Budikusuma triumphed in the women's and men's singles events.
After a lackluster performance by national athletes in recent international events, it will be a tall task for Imam to increase the country's competitiveness.
At the just concluded Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, for example, Indonesia finished in 17th position, almost a year after the ending up in fourth place at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
While hopes abound for an improved medal collection at the 2018 Asian Games, which will be held in Indonesia, Imam pointed out that Indonesia must prove itself by reclaiming a top position at the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore.
