Surabaya, East Java (ANTARA News) - A team of Indonesian Senior High School (SMA) students won the silver and copper medal in the Fifth International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) in Katowice and Krakow, Poland.

Education Ministry special staff Sukemi said in a press release received by ANTARA News in Surabaya on Tuesday that two silver medals were won by Ko Matias Adrian from SMA 2, Bekasi, and Raymond Djajalaksana of SMAK Penabur, Jakarta.

"One copper medal was won by M. Wildan Ghafari of SMA Semesta, Semarang," he said when welcoming the team from Poland Monday night.

The team was also welcomed by other Indonesian education authorities at Soekarno-Hatta international airport in Jakarta.

"Participating in the Olympics were 29 teams of 26 countries with 134 participants, and Indonesia sent five SMA students from Bekasi, Jakarta, Semarang, Gresik, and Surabaya," he said.

The five students are Ko Matias Adrian (SMA 5, Bekasi), Raymond Djajalaksana (SMAK IPEKA Sunter, Jakarta), M. Wildan Ghafari (SMA Semesta, Semarang), Miftahul Hilmi (SMA 1, Gresik), and James Lim (SMAK Petra, Surabaya).

"They had been accompanied by two team leaders of Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) Dr Hakim L. Malasan and Dr Mohammad Ikbal," he said.

Indonesia on behalf of Dr Chatief Kunjaya had been elected IOAA President for the 2012-2016 period, and IOAA Secretary General was Dr Grzegorz Stachowski from Poland.

On the occasion, Mukhlis Catio hoped that with Indonesia elected as IOAA president will have a positive effect on the development of astronomy and astrophysics in Indonesia.

"Besides, we also hoped Indonesia would increase its performances in IOAA events, as the tasks of an IOAA president includes making and collecting questions and problems for similar olympics," he said(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011