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As the Southeast Asian Games opened with an extravagant ceremony at Sriwijaya Stadium in Palembang on Friday, the real party began at a still-unfinished venue on Cipule Lake.

Hours before the Rp 150 billion ($16.8 million) opening ceremony started, Indonesian athletes earned the country’s first two gold medals in rowing events in Karawang, West Java.

Eka Oktarorianus claimed the first by winning the men’s 1,000-meter Canoe-1 event. He then partnered Anwar Tarra to win a second gold in the 1,000-meter Canoe-2 event.

“I’ve never dreamed of this,” said 22-year-old Eka, who was Rp 400 million richer after his day’s work. “I present these golds to my parents and the country.”

The government has promised cash bonuses of Rp 200 million for each Games gold medal.

Indonesian rowers also took two silvers and a bronze on the first day. Thailand topped the medals table after Friday’s events, though, winning three gold medals and one bronze.

Cipule Lake, about 80 kilometers southeast of Jakarta, has been one of the biggest headaches plaguing Indonesia’s SEA Games organizing committee (Inasoc). All the facilities had to be built from scratch, including the sole road leading to the venue.

If first impressions are the most important, the start of the rowing competition must have left organizers feeling uneasy. Qualifying rounds were scheduled to start on Thursday, but they were canceled after construction of the finish tower was not completed on time.

Instead, all participants were moved straight into Friday’s finals.

Workers were still paving the muddy road and cleaning up the surrounding area on Friday. There were no lane numbers or distance markers on the lake, and official results were difficult to track down after races ended.

Most of the attention was on Friday’s opening ceremony, though, which Inasoc officials claimed was the biggest in Games history. A multitude of government officials attended the event, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Lasers and fireworks lit up a full house at the 40,000-seat Sriwijaya Stadium, while upward of 3,000 dancers and regional pop stars entertained the crowd.

Starting with a dance called “Let the Journey Begin,” spectators held their breath as badminton legend Susi Susanti was flown over the stadium with a flaming sphere in her hand, throwing it to light the Games cauldron.

A steady rain fell on the ceremony, the sound system cut out for a minute and the fire on Susi’s torch was blown out, but otherwise the evening went off smoothly.

“I’m proud that Indonesia is finally hosting the Southeast Asian Games again. I thank all the people that have worked hard for this, especially the Palembang people,” Yudhoyono said.