"Half of the sports that Palembang competes has the potential to win gold, including Sepak Takraw. I feel they have an interest to assist and see the development of athletes," Syafrudin stated while visiting Ranau Hall JSC Palembang on Tuesday.
According to him, assistance is important because it is expected to boost the mentality of the players who are starting to feel pressure from the match.
In addition, Syafrudin, who now serves as Minister of Administrative Reform and Bureaucratic Reform (PAN-RB), believes that mentoring will provide encouragement to athletes, so that they can focus on achieving the targets given.
"Takraw`s football has the potential (medals) for gold; therefore, we will support athletes to remain consistent with the existing performance," Syafrudin noted.
On that occasion, the two ministers, who were accompanied by General Chairperson of the Indonesian PSR (Asset Management Association) Asnawi Rahman, also took pictures and spoke to several female national team athletes of Sepak Takraw.
Until the third day of the Sepak Takraw sports competition in the team, the women`s national team lost the opportunity to advance to the semifinals after experiencing two defeats from Myanmar and Vietnam.
But Indonesia still hoped for a medal in the team squad from the men`s team that made it into the semifinals against Malaysia this afternoon.
In connection with the efforts of the Indonesia Takraw Sepak team to become champions in this sport, coach Asry Syam will focus his team to maintain mental strength and not be content with the victory obtained.
The mental strength of players is one of the factors highlighted by Syam because it is considered to be the cause of the women`s national team`s defeat in team squad numbers.
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Reporting by Roy Rosa Bachtiar
Editing by Eliswan, Suharto
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
