"We have the target to win three bronzes in the weightlifting branch," Hadi Wijardja, coordinator of Indonesia`s Measured Sports Branch Program (Prima), said after the seeing of the Indonesian contingent here on Monday.
He said that target was set after considering the rivals the Indonesian lifters would meet in the Olympic Games.
Hadi said that those who were expected to grab bronze medals were those who would compete in the men`s 56kg, 62kg and 69kg events.
Indonesia will field five in the men`s event, namely Triyatno (69kg), Deni (69kg), Eko Yuli Irawan (62kg), M Hasbi (62kg), and Jadi Setiadi (56kg).
It will also field a woman lifter, namely Citra Febrianti (53kg). She will be accompanied as a reserve by Sinta Darmariani (69kg).
Earlier, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Andi Mallarangeng
said that the government would provide Rp1 billion in bonus to each of Indonesia`s athletes who win a gold medal in Olympic Games 2012.
"The government is allocating Rp1 billion for each athlete winning a gold medal, Rp400 million for a silver and Rp200 million for a bronze," said Andi Mallarangeng after seeing off the Indonesian contingent at the state palace here on Monday.
The minister said it was traditional to give bonuses to athletes who were able to bring fame and make the nation proud at the international arena.
In line with this move, the government has set aside a fund of Rp26.6 billion to support the Indonesian contingent in the Olympic Games.
Andi explained that Indonesia had the potential to win golds in a number of sports such as weightlifting, badminton and archery.
He said that the Indonesian contingent had set a target of winning at least one gold medal in the Olympic Games.
The Indonesian contingent is composed of 21 athletes of seven sports branches.
The number of Indonesian athletes in the London Olympic Games is smaller than the one the country had sent to the previous Olympic Games held in Beijing, China in 2008.
At that time, Indonesia sent a contingent of 24 athletes and won one gold, one silver and three bronzes.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
