"We had never thought that we would win seven gold medals, because our initial target was only three gold medals," Gideon Suprapto, Indonesia`s soft tennis team manager said here on Monday.
The host country won two gold medals respectively from men`s team and women`s team, and Prima Simpatiaji, Wukirasih Sawondari and their colleagues were also successfully managed to win five gold medals from men`s single and women`s single.
In the final match of women`s doubles, Wukirasih Sawondari-Maya Rosa defeated Dwi Rahayu-Julia Sanger.
Edi Kusdaryanto-Septi Mende won against Ferly Montolalu-Maya Rosa in the mixed doubles event.
Prima-Edi won a gold medal after beating Sorachet Uayporn- Pee Meesuk from Thailand 5-2 in the men`s doubles.
According to Gideon, Indonesia`s toughest rival was Thailand which had defeated Indonesia in the Korean soft tennis championship last October.
The defeat from Thailand had motivated Indonsia`s soft tennis athletes to work hard for the SEA Games, he said.
In addition to the seven golds, Indonesia also won two silvers medals from Dwi Rahayu-Julia Sanger and Ferly Montolalu-Maya Rosa.
Two bronze medals were won by Hendri Susilo Pramono and Dwi Rahayu.
Overall, the Indonesian contingent has achieved its target of grabbing at least 150 gold medals as until the tenth day of the 26th Southeast Asian Games on Sunday it had collected 154 goldswhile securing first position as the overall champion for the first time since 1997.
It has even been predicted that Indonesia will bag gold medals far exceeding the target because the biennial sports festivities still has 74 other gold medals at stake in the last two days.
The 26th SEA Games is being held in Palembang, South Sumatra Provinces, and Jakarta, from November 11 to 22, 2011.
(Uu.F001/HAJM/O001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
