17 countries set to take part in Karate's Indonesia Open<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Seventeen countries have confirmed that they will take part in
\nthe next month's Indonesia Open Karate Tournament, where host
\nIndonesia will field two teams, the organizing committee said on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Committee chairman Hermawan Sulistyo said invitations had been
\nsent to 72 countries, 65 of which had responded. But only 17
\ncountries have officially verified their participation in the
\ntournament.<\/p>\n
Those confirming their arrival are Algeria, Australia,
\nBangladesh, Brunei, Hong Kong, Iran, Jordan, Malaysia, Myanmar,
\nPakistan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka,
\nThailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"I hope that Japan will be able to send its athletes to the
\ntournament,\" Hermawan, who heads the research and development
\ndepartment at the Indonesian Karate-do Association (Forki), said
\nof the chance that athletes from the sport's home country would
\nparticipate.<\/p>\n
He said most of the participating countries would come to the
\ntournament with teams young and veteran athletes.<\/p>\n
The Indonesia Open will run for three days starting on June 4
\nat the Bung Karno Indoor Tennis Stadium.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will compete with two teams, called the Buffalo and
\nthe Tiger.<\/p>\n
The Buffalo team, led by manager Tono Soeud and head coach
\nWillem Mantiri, will be composed of young and veteran athletes,
\nthe latter currently preparing for the 2002 Asian Games in South
\nKorea.<\/p>\n
The Tiger squad, to be guided by manager Ahmad Budu and head
\ncoach Zulkarnaen Purba, will be made up of the karatekas who
\nstole the spotlight at the Kasad Cup tournament in Bandung
\nearlier this month.<\/p>\n
According to a tentative lineup given to The Jakarta Post, the
\nBuffalo team was to have included Jenny Zeanette and Yulianti
\nSyafrudin.<\/p>\n
But the committee announced that the two women karatekas would
\ninstead be taking part in the Ladies Open in France, which is
\nbeing held at the same time as the Indonesia Open.<\/p>\n
No replacements for the two have yet to be announced.<\/p>\n
The Indonesia Open will include 19 events -- 15 individual
\nones and four team. According to Hermawan, who is also a
\npolitical analyst, Indonesia has a realistic chance of winning
\nthe men's team kumite.<\/p>",
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