Best athletes deserve training privilege: KONI<\/p>\n
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The National Sports Council (KONI) will give the athletes that
\nhave the greatest medal-winning chances the privilege of training
\noverseas for next year's Asian Games.<\/p>\n
National training director Imron ZS told reporters on Friday
\nthat the special treatment was aimed at improving Indonesia's
\nperformance at the quadrennial sporting event, to be held in
\nPusan, South Korea.<\/p>\n
Indonesia finished 11th in the medals tally at the Bangkok
\n1998 Asiad, with six gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze medals.<\/p>\n
"The Asian Games is not the place to seek experience. It is
\nthe arena for us to win as many gold medals as possible," Imron
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"That's why KONI is offering training privileges to athletes
\nwith gold medal chances, while at the same time we will also
\narrange regular training for the rest."<\/p>\n
"The selected athletes will receive financial support starting
\nnext month and they will also have more opportunities for
\noverseas try-outs."<\/p>\n
At the Games, Indonesia will compete in archery, badminton,
\ncycling, beach volleyball, billiards, bodybuilding, boxing,
\ncanoeing, gymnastics, judo, karate, rowing, sailing, shooting,
\nswimming, tae kwon do, tennis, track and field, weightlifting and
\nwushu.<\/p>\n
KONI has requested that a training fund of Rp 27 billion
\n(US$2.8 million), via the Ministry of National Education, be
\nincluded in the 2002 State Budget.<\/p>\n
The sports council will also use the $70,000 Olympic
\nSolidarity fund already pledged by the International Olympic
\nCommittee (IOC) to finance the training session for Asiad.<\/p>\n
"All athletes, however, must remind themselves that being in
\nthe training center doesn't mean they will automatically get a
\nseat to Pusan," said Imron.<\/p>\n
"KONI has set clear-cut requirements for athletes who wish to
\njoin the Asian Games training stint. They should either have been
\nfinalists at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games last month or be
\nranked within the top five in Asia, or be those with outstanding
\nachievements."<\/p>\n
KONI would maintain close discussion with sports organizations
\nto determine which athletes deserved a place in the national
\nteam, according to Imron.<\/p>\n
He expected all athletes to maintain their physical fitness
\nand reach 60 percent of their peak form by the end of this year
\nor early next year.<\/p>\n
"The centralized training center is to start next January, so
\nall athletes must maintain their form during the current break,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
KONI will examine athletes' fitness prior to the training
\nsession and will conduct another test next May to monitor their
\nprogress. Those who fail to improve will be dropped from the
\ntraining program, Imron added.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, KONI vice chairman Arie Sudewo told reporters that
\nKONI was waiting for reports from a group of sports officials
\nassigned to drafting the training schedule and methods for the
\nAsian Games.<\/p>\n
"The officials should have submitted their proposal before the
\nend of this year because we want the training center to start
\nnext January," Arie said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/best-athletes-deserve-training-privilege-koni-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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