On Targets and Medals

For Indonesia, the SEA Games is a transitional or temporary target following the surprising achievements of Indonesia\'s top athletes at the 2018 Asian Games.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Athletes of the Indonesian contingent gather at the introduction of the Indonesian team for the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines in the Bung Karno Basketball Hall, Jakarta, Wednesday (27/11/2019).

However, such awareness must be followed with appropriate coaching and financing strategies as well as setting priorities for the sport. After the last Asian Games event, Indonesia began implementing the national training program (Pelatnas) budgeting with a cluster system, the high-performing sports branch received more funding than the under-performing branch.

The new funding system indeed makes it difficult for new athletes to emerge from the lower-performing branches of the sport. However, this system is already widely applied in the world. Low-performing sport cluster executives must be creative in looking for funding sources to improve the performance of their athletes.

The SEA Games is set to be a platform for the regeneration and development of young athletes, yet this goal lacks synchronization with the gold medal target. This target often results in executives using any means to achieve it, even through unsportsmanlike behavior.

We support the SEA Games as a multisport event in the Southeast Asia region. However, the targets require collective agreement.

ANTARA FOTO/SIGID KURNIAWAN

Indonesian U-22 national team player Osvaldo Haay (right) celebrates a goal with teammate Saddil Ramdani in the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games Group B match at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila, Philippines, Thursday (28/11/2019).

Can certain targets be shifted from multi-event events to single events, such as the Asian or world championships? This agreement is important so that the community knows what sporting branches have achieved world-class level, or Asian, or perhaps only Southeast Asian levels.

Some say only achievements in measurable branches such as athletics and swimming can be predicted. That statement is arguably out of date, considering that almost all sports have a scheduled annual calendar so that athlete\'s achievements can be monitored.

We must also remember that sports can no longer be separated from science and technology (Iptek). In fact, the aspect of science and technology is dominant in certain sports. This is still an obstacle, because some of our coaches often rely more on their experience as athletes when they become a coach.

KOMPAS/DENTY PIAWAI NASTITIE

Indonesian water polo player Ridjkie Mulia tries to throw the ball in the Indonesian water polo match against Thailand at the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. The match took place in New Clark City on Wednesday (27/11/2019).

At this SEA Games Philippines, we sent 841 athletes ,about 60 percent of whom were young athletes. They will compete in 424 matches in 52 sport branches, targeting to bring home 45 gold medals.

Compared to the total number of sport branches that each provides a gold medal, the target was arguably not hard. However, it must be remembered, the SEA Games is only a temporary target and young athletes need experience to achieve the desired targets. We do not need to rush to blame them if this target is not achieved.