Indonesia - Not the endgame

The 26th SEA Games will end in style today, particularly for the host team Indonesia. This will not just be because of more podium success, but more importantly because of the country's restored pride as a regional sports power.

After 14 years of waiting, Indonesia will finish as the overall winner, even if it fails to return any medals on the final day of competition.

Indonesia's competitors deserve to be commended for making this long-time dream become a reality. Many have said their performances have been above par, despite plenty of potential distractions.

A lack of preparation saw many competition venues completed just before the Games began on Nov. 11. A corruption saga plagued the construction of the athletes' village in the South Sumatra capital of Palembang. But Indonesian competitors have not allowed their mindsets to be affected.

More than bringing euphoric celebrations and cash bonuses for victorious competitors, many are hoping that Indonesia's success at this year's SEA Games will signal the country's awakening in sports and pave the way for more medals in tougher competitions, like the Asian Games and the Olympic Games.

It would be misleading to declare that Indonesia has rediscovered its top form at this year's Games. Any Southeast Asian country that plays host to the biennial event can now reign supreme in the medals hunt, thanks in part to the privilege of the host nation to feature its traditional sports. Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia proved they could outshine regular overall winners such as Thailand and Indonesia when they competed in their home countries.

The real test in gauging Indonesia's sporting credentials will come at the 2013 SEA Games in the Myanmar capital of Naypyidaw and in following events. Since the Asian crisis struck in the late 1990s, Thailand has fared better than Indonesia in this regard as it managed to triumph on away soil, including at the previous SEA Games in Vientiane in 2009.

The SEA Games has so far served as a stepping stone for many athletes wishing to compete in the Asian Games and the Olympic Games, therefore the overall winners tag is not that relevant if most medals come from non-Olympic events, or if only a few medals are won in fully fledged Olympic medal sports, like athletics, swimming and gymnastics. These three sports usually offer the most medals at Olympic-level competition.

Indonesia dominated athletics at this year's SEA Games with 13 gold medals, almost doubling its target of seven gold medals. The host nation managed only six gold medals in swimming, almost one third of the collection of Singapore. While in gymnastics, Indonesia could not match Vietnam, which won the most gold medals in the sport.

Based on Indonesia's recent SEA Games performance, it is too early to judge whether it will make a great leap in progress at the upcoming Olympics in London or at the next Asian Games in the Philippines in 2013.

In the long run, Indonesia, as well as other Southeast Asian nations, will only be able to focus seriously on Olympic or Asian Games success if they are committed to grooming their best talents.

For Indonesia, the new SEA Games champion, the game is far from over.

News Desk

The Jakarta Post

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