World in Sport

Medals boost KONI's hopes for 2012
The National Sports Council (KONI) is hoping to send 50 athletes to the 2012 Olympic Games in London and boost Indonesia's overall performance in the medal tally at the quadrennial event.

The medals earned in badminton and weightlifting at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games proved that national athletes could perform at an international level, KONI chairwoman Rita Subowo said at Indonesian Independence Day celebrations here on Sunday.

"In future, we hope to send not just shuttlers and lifters but athletes from other areas," she said.

"The highly prestigious 2009 and 2011 SEA (Southeast Asian) Games ... and 2010 Asian Games will be like stepping stones (to the Olympics in London)," she said.

Indonesia sent 24 athletes to compete in seven sporting events in Beijing. So far the team have earned one gold, one silver and three bronze medals.

Indonesia has consistently won gold medals since badminton was first featured at the Olympics in 1992, while for weightlifting the country has continually earned silver and bronze since 2000.

Rita, who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee, said KONI had asked the government to provide sports facilities at school and university campuses.

"For the time being, we have a working agreement with the University of Indonesia (UI) under which KONI has been given a seven hectare plot of land at its Depok campus," Rita said.

"This land will be used to house an athlete village, a sports science center, a library and other facilities."

Some universities in Beijing -- including Beijing University of Technology, Peking University and China Agricultural University -- have gymnasiums of an international standard which could be used to host sporting events for the Olympics, Rita said.

KONI signed a memorandum of understanding with UI to allow top athletes to enroll in tertiary education courses.

"They can choose to study in one of the 12 faculties," Rita said.

She also highlighted the importance of education for athletes, because many had to quit school due to a tight training schedule.

"We will begin to provide scholarships for students with good sporting achievements. Hopefully this will boost students' motivation to become athletes," she said.

KONI has also announced an annual national competition for 15 prioritized sports -- including track and field, swimming, badminton and soccer -- for elementary, junior and high school students.

"In doing so, we hope to net talented young athletes because we need to prepare for the Youth Asian Games next year, and the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.