IT was job well done by the 26th SEA Games contingent.

The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Paduka Hj Hazair Hj Abdullah yesterday congratulated the national athletes for a good outing at the 26th SEA Games in Indonesia last month.

The Sultanate returned with four silver and seven bronze medals from the Nov 11-22 biennial event in Jakarta and Palembang.

The Minister said the athletes had tried their best despite not returning with any gold medals from the tournament.

"Out of the 11 sports that we participated in, four were able to go to the finals. I think that is an achievement itself," said Pehin Dato Hj Hazair during an interview at the Brunei International Airport, in Berakas, yesterday. The Minister was returning home after attending the 1st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

"Gold is a goal, but we also have to look at the other aspect where our athletes have done very well in terms of qualifying for the final four times in four different sports," he added.

"Of course, we have to do more to better prepare our athletes so they can excel.

"Sports is like an investment. We don't just ask the athletes to run and practise everyday without a proper training programme," he concluded.

The next edition of the SEA Games will be hosted by Myanmar in 2013.

Courtesy from Brunei Times