Ballo targets second gold from Brunei Games<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): \"What do you want this year, Ballo?\"<\/p>\n
\"A gold medal, definitely. I won the gold two years ago and I
\nintend to defend my title,\" answered boxer Hermansen Bertholens
\nBallo during a break in training at the Ragunan Sports School in
\nSouth Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Ballo -- who was born in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, on Feb.
\n26, 1971 -- sees Thailand's Pramuansak Phosuwan as his toughest
\nrival at the upcoming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.<\/p>\n
Ballo lost to the Thai boxer in the 13th Asian Games in
\nBangkok last year and still feels the sting of the defeat.<\/p>\n
\"We will fight in a neutral country and I have a chance to
\navenge my defeat to him,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ballo, who began his boxing career in 1991, did not want to
\ncomment on the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association, which did
\nnot provide him the opportunity to train overseas for the Games.<\/p>\n
\"I have no comment. The most important thing is that I train
\nharder and harder each day. I don't think I need overseas
\ntraining or a sparring partner,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Little Ballo followed in the footsteps of his step-brother
\nYones, a boxing champion in Kupang in the 1980s. Ballo has been
\nboxing for 15 years and has long been recognized as a quality
\nfighter.<\/p>\n
He was the 1991 National Junior Championships runner-up. His
\nfirst international achievement was winning the silver medal at
\nthe 1993 President Cup. Ballo also won the bronze medal at the
\n1994 Hiroshima Asian Games.<\/p>\n
Ballo said he has continued to develop his talent in the sport
\nand it has become a part of his life.<\/p>\n
\"I love the sport and I am willing to sacrifice anything to
\nachieve my goals,\" said the seventh of nine children.<\/p>\n
Ballo said he was not afraid to face a much stronger fighter
\nin the ring.<\/p>\n
\"I would be proud to challenge a world champion in the ring
\nand I would be even prouder if I could beat him. If I lost to
\nhim, at least I could learn something from my defeat,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ballo -- who loves soccer, basketball and listening to music
\n-- said his only entertainment during training at the Ragunan
\nSports School was watching soccer games at the school.<\/p>\n
\"It kills our boredom. We are not allowed to go out and hang
\naround outside the camp, so watching soccer and TV is the only
\nentertainment we have.\"<\/p>\n
His target in every competition is not only a victory but to
\nraise Indonesia's red-and-white flag.<\/p>\n
Ballo's main ambition now is to win the gold at the 2000
\nOlympics in Sydney. In the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia,
\nBallo only reached the third round of the competition. Next year
\nhe hopes to improve on this showing. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ballo-targets-second-gold-from-brunei-games-1447893297",
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