"We are optimistic with regard to all sports branches, but we have 14 branches that we are realistic about winning gold medals," Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs, Imam Nahrawi, said at the vice presidential office in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Apart from realistic sports branches, Indonesia has two calculations that are expected to bring the country into the Top Ten in the Asian Games` medal tally.
"Indonesia is also predicted to win medals, no matter whether silver or bronze, in certain sports events. There are also sports branches which are only expected to raise the country`s rating," he noted.
Now, some of the athletes have undergone training both at home and abroad. "Of the 40 sports branches, 33 have been attended by the athletes in trial games with different results. Some are encouraging, and some others still need another trial. We still have two months time, and they will undergo another trial in early August," the minister remarked.
Nahrawi expressed optimism that through the training at the National Training Center and trial overseas, the athletes could enable Indonesia to enter the Top Ten.
"We are very optimistic, because there are some branches where we only believed to be able to get one gold medal, but in the world events, the athletes could grab more gold," he added.
Reported by Fransiska Ninditya
(A014/INE)
(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/C/B003)
Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
