Athletes sweat it out in sweltering Sidoarjo<\/p>\n
Athletes preparing for Saturday's Asian Grand Prix in
\nSidoarjo, East Java, are finding the local hot weather -- with a
\ndrenching humidity factor of 97 percent -- not to their liking.<\/p>\n
Even competitors from sweltering India say the humidity is
\nleaving them hot and bothered.<\/p>\n
"The track is OK, it's like in India, but the weather here is
\ntoo humid," Hartit Singh, coach of 1,500 meter runner Sunita Rani
\nof India, said during a training session at Sidoarjo Stadium on
\nFriday morning.<\/p>\n
Rani agreed with her coach about the humidity, but said her
\nearly evening event start would be an advantage.<\/p>\n
On Friday, final preparations, including watering the field
\nand setting up equipment, were underway for the grand prix.<\/p>\n
Another athlete working out on Friday, women's high jumper
\nEfimenko Tatiana of Kyrgyzstan, said the heat was energy sapping.<\/p>\n
"We will see on Saturday how I perform," she said.<\/p>\n
Athletics Association of Indonesia (PASI) secretary-general
\nTigor Tandjung said no upgrading was needed for the site to host
\nthe event.<\/p>\n
"Sidoarjo Stadium is in good condition and has a history of
\nholding big events, like the 2000 National Games," he said.<\/p>\n
"For the Asian Grand Prix, we just brought the necessary
\nequipment for Saturday."<\/p>\n
A total of 19 countries are represented in the first stop of
\nthe three-leg Asian Grand Prix 2005. Each winner in the 16 events
\nwill take home prize money of US$2,500.<\/p>\n
The host team's 28-strong contingent is the largest at the
\nevent, with PASI urging its athletes to use the opportunity to
\nevaluate top competitors from within the region.<\/p>\n
Only 110-meter hurdler Eddy Zakaria, who is suffering from a
\nstrained abdominal muscle, is eligible for the two other legs of
\nthe grand prix series in Singapore and Bangkok.<\/p>\n
-- JP\/Moch N. Kurniawan<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/athletes-sweat-it-out-in-sweltering-sidoarjo-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }