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SEA Games: Indonesian athletes surpassing expectations, says chef Harry
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Team Indonesia chief contingent Harry Warganegara (left) raises the country’s flag during the team’s send-off in Jakarta on Nov. 27 prior to their departure to the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines. The Games are to run from Saturday to Dec. 11. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
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hef de mission Harry Warganegara has praised the achievements of Indonesian athletes at this year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, despite the fact that Indonesia has dropped to fourth place in the medal table, having been leapfrogged by Thailand and Vietnam, who now sit respectively in second and third.
Harry said the athletes had surpassed all expectations, showing they have what it takes to secure more glory in the future.
“These athletes have won our hearts with their all-out struggle. They have beaten all predictions by winning more medals than we did at the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games. The fact that 60 percent of the national contingent are junior athletes means so much more for us,” he told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
He mentioned athletes such as weightlifter Windy Cantika Aisah, 17, who secured a gold medal in the women’s 49 kilogram category and Aldila Sutjiadi, 24, who won two gold medals in the women’s singles and mixed doubles categories. Now that these athletes had gained confidence, he added, it was expected that they could focus on something bigger.
After the SEA Games had finished, Harry added, the most crucial task for all sporting stakeholders would be maintaining the winning momentum, especially for these young athletes, whose thirst for glory still needs to be satisfied.
“We need them to be fully charged, physically and mentally, so they can reach the qualifiers for bigger stages like the Olympics or other world championships. Now, they have reached an important milestone, winning SEA Games medals. We all need to think how to maintain their exposure to regional and world arenas so they can maintain their competitiveness as athletes.”
Harry also appreciated the associations, which have been willing to struggle side-by-side with their athletes, often despite limited facilities, so many of them could claim their medals.
