Beach spikers ready to pounce<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): National Olympic duo Ni Putu Timy Yudani Rahayu
\nand Engel Berta Kaize are aiming to improve their world ranking
\nat the finals of the 11th Women's Beach Volleyball World
\nChampionship due to start tomorrow at the Senayan tennis complex.<\/p>\n
\"Our main goal is to improve our world ranking, which we
\nachieved at the last Olympics, and we've been preparing for it
\nfor thirty days,\" said Eta, nicknamed Berta, yesterday.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Volleyball Association's executive director,
\nRita Subowo, said the organization realizes the chances of
\nIndonesians winning the championship, which is sponsored by tile
\ncompany Keramik Diamond, are slim but it expects Timy and Eta,
\nworld ranked 16th, to improve their rating.<\/p>\n
\"Six other local teams, which are being groomed for the next
\nSEA Games and Asian Games, will be able to participate to test
\ntheir skills and experience other countries' strength,\" Rita
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"Each team is to get 10 points for qualifying to the main
\ndraw,\" she added.<\/p>\n
The International Olympic Committee which held its annual
\nmeeting in Mexico earlier this month has decided that beach
\nvolleyball will be contested as medal event in the 2000 Olympics
\nin Sydney.<\/p>\n
\"It's very important for them to improve their ranking because
\nthe International Volleyball Federation counts the points since
\nthe end of the last Olympics,\" Rita said.<\/p>\n
Rita, who is also the organizers' chairwoman, said that three
\nof the local teams will replace the United States teams, which
\nwithdrew from the championship due to injuries in a tournament in
\nBrazil two weeks ago.<\/p>\n
Olympic gold medalists Jackie Silva and Sandra Pires of Brazil
\nand bronze medalists Kerrie Pottharst and Natalie Cook of
\nAustralia are due to participate in the championship.<\/p>\n
\"Since Atlanta, we've been very busy in Australia, promoting
\nthe sport. We haven't been practicing very much but we're aiming
\nat the final,\" Pottharst said of her chances at the championship.<\/p>\n
Thirty two teams from 13 countries are taking part in the
\nUS$140,000 tournament, which runs through Sunday.<\/p>\n
The organizers have set up two artificial courts on the clay
\ntennis courts at Senayan. The white sand is from Bangka island
\noff Sumatra and the quality is claimed to be \"better than the
\nOlympic sand.\"<\/p>\n
Rita said that all players have to wear a vest to cover their
\nbikinis, which could cause offense here.<\/p>\n
The privately owned TPI TV channel is to air the matches live
\non Saturday at 3.00 p.m. and on Sunday at 1.00 p.m. (yan)<\/p>",
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