Asiad door still open for Oka and Malik<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council's 13th Asian Games
\nnational training director, Mohamad Hindarto, said yesterday that
\nwindsurfers Oka Sulaksana and Malik Faizal still had a chance of
\ncompeting at the Asiad based on their results at the Asian
\nWindsurfing Championships in China on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Defending champion Oka only won a bronze in the mistral one
\ndesign. Mo Zhenhai of China won the gold followed by teammate Sun
\nMaochin at the championships in Qingdao City.<\/p>\n
Compatriot Abdul Malik Faizal won the silver in the mistral
\nrace board, trailing Chinese Chen Zhanyun. His brother Fadly
\nFaizal failed to reach the top three.<\/p>\n
\"They still have time to improve their skills before competing
\nat the Asiad. If they have a foreign coach, I believe they can do
\nbetter,\" Hindarto said.<\/p>\n
The council, which has said it will only send potential medal
\nwinners to the Asiad, has promised to hire a foreign coach,
\neither from Israel or New Zealand, for the windsurfers. The
\nforeign coach has asked for a salary of US$1,000 per week.<\/p>\n
It has promised to financially assist the Indonesian
\nWindsurfing and Yachting Association to hire a foreign coach by
\nproviding Rp 100 million (US$7,700) which was originally
\nearmarked to hire a foreign tennis coach.<\/p>\n
\"They still have chances to win medals. We'll stick to our
\ncommitment to finance their foreign coach. We'll discuss this
\nwith the council's budget deputy,\" Hindarto said.<\/p>\n
\"But I think the Chinese athletes were not competing fairly
\nbecause they entered about 50 athletes in each competition.
\nIdeally, a class should include two athletes from each country,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Coach Iskandar Sitompul, who accompanied the athletes to
\nChina, said in his release that China fielded 50 athletes and
\ndominated the championships by sweeping five golds.<\/p>\n
He also said that China has been preparing its athletes
\nseriously as part of its preparation for the Asian Games in
\nBangkok in December. (yan)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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