Bayu, Aprilia to compete in World Judo Championships<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian men's judoka Kresna Bayu and women's
\njudoka Aprilia Marzuki will compete at the World Championships in
\nMunich, Germany.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Judo Association (PJSI) official in charge of
\nathletes development Subardi Suar said on Wednesday that both
\njudokas would not only warm up for the Southeast Asian (SEA)
\nGames in Kuala Lumpur in September but also prepare for the 2002
\nAsian Games in Pusan, South Korea.<\/p>\n
"We are only sending Bayu and Aprilia to the championships
\nalthough we are now grooming 23 judokas for the SEA Games. We
\nwant both athletes to perform well in next year's Asiad. They are
\nworld-level judokas as they had participated in the 2000 Olympic
\nGames in Sydney," he said.<\/p>\n
Subardi praised Bayu as the best in the open class in
\nSoutheast Asia and Asia.<\/p>\n
His statement was contradictory to the facts as Bayu's best
\nachievement was winning two golds at the 1997 SEA Games in
\nJakarta. He lost in the 1998 Asiad in Bangkok and 2000 Olympics
\nGames in Sydney with an ippon in the first round.<\/p>\n
"Bayu is still young and he has the potential to excel. He has
\nalso participated in many competitions and is the best in the
\nopen class. No Indonesian judoka has equaled Bayu in the class,"
\nSubardi said.<\/p>\n
PJSI has, however, failed to set a target for the World
\nChampionships, which will take place from July 26 to July 29.<\/p>\n
"We hope Bayu will reach the second round. If he does, he will
\nbe able to play in the Bundesliga in Bonn."<\/p>\n
Bayu will fly to Germany next Tuesday. As for Aprilia, she is
\nnow practicing in Karlsruhe while studying there.<\/p>\n
Unlike Subardi, head coach Indriana Kusnadi was less
\nenthusiastic about the judokas overseas tryouts at the World
\nChampionships, saying they will not gain much from the event.<\/p>\n
"As both judokas are focusing on the SEA Games, they need
\npractice partners with equal skills, and not be competing at the
\nchampionships.<\/p>\n
"One or two days of competition will not affect them much. Our
\njudokas have yet to be given overseas tryouts. They have only
\ncompeted in the Wismoyo Cup and College and University Students
\nGames as preparation for the SEA Games," she said.<\/p>\n
Subardi said Indonesia was aiming to bring home five of 14
\ngolds at stake in the Sept. 8 to Sept. 17 Games.<\/p>\n
"We initially targeted seven golds, but we are likely to lose
\ntwo as the Games organizers are not featuring open class at the
\nGames.<\/p>\n
"We may also lose the gold in the men's 71 kilograms as I
\nWayan Sutikno will face a tough challenge from John Baylon of the
\nPhilippines who grabbed the 1997 Games gold.<\/p>\n
Bayu and Aprilia are expected to contribute two golds in the
\n90kg and 70kg respectively. Three other golds are hoped from
\nsenior Peter Taslim in the men's 66kg, Ira Purnamasari in the
\nwomen's 78kg and Lita Theresia in the women's 63kg.<\/p>\n
In Tokyo, Japan's Olympic champion Ryoko Tamura said on
\nTuesday that she was confident of a fifth straight world judo
\ntitle at the end of the month, despite a serious knee injury, AFP
\nreported.<\/p>\n
"The injury is healing. The injury has motivated me even more
\nfor a fifth straight title," the petite 25-year-old told a news
\nconference.<\/p>\n
Tamura tore ligaments in her right knee in a freak accident
\nlast week. She was crushed by a heavyweight contender grappling
\non an adjacent mat during a training session.<\/p>\n
Tamura is tuning up for the championships where she will
\ndefend her 48kg bantamweight title.<\/p>\n
She lost only twice in eight years -- in the finals of the
\nBarcelona and Atlanta Olympics -- and won a gold in the Sydney
\nOlympics in September last year. (ivy)<\/p>",
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