Billiard players complain about lack of equipment<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): No equipment, no achievement. That's one of the
\nretorts the Indonesian billiard and snooker association has about
\nwhy its athletes have no say in international competitions.<\/p>\n
In a meeting with the National Sports Council yesterday,
\ntraining director of the association, Ashar Nasution, said his
\nathletes had long trained with rented tables.<\/p>\n
\"Our players cannot use the tables as freely as they want. It
\neasily distracts their concentration since they sometimes have to
\nstop their practice when the time runs out,\" Nasution said.<\/p>\n
\"We only have seven hours a day and it's very annoying when we
\nhave to stop hitting the ball once we've really gotten into the
\nmood,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nasution said that such interruptions cost his players their
\ndesire to train harder.<\/p>\n
Nasution said the association has met the need of nine-feet
\nbilliard tables for 16 players. Four 12-feet snooker tables are
\nalso among the association's inventory.<\/p>\n
\"But they are not enough. We don't have any 10-foot tables at
\nall,\" Nasution said. National players have long rented a 10-foot
\ntable from PT Tambang Timah, a state-owned mining company.<\/p>\n
A new 10-foot table costs Rp 3 million (US$1,300), but a
\nsecond-hand one would be much cheaper. Nasution said that the
\nassociation wanted to buy the table it rents from the company,
\nbut needs recommendation from the council.<\/p>\n
\"We expect to buy at least four,\" Nasution said.<\/p>\n
Andre Ben, another executive of the association, said that the
\ntraining program for the 19th Southeast Asian Games here next
\nyear could have started if the association had the equipment.<\/p>\n
More events<\/p>\n
Both Nasution and Andre suggested that host Indonesia add the
\nnumber of events to eight in the 1997 Games. \"We would like to
\nreinstate cadre 47\/1, ban, three ban and libre in addition to
\nsnooker, English billiards, rotation, and nine ball,\" Nasution
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The additional events were contested in the 1987 Games here.<\/p>\n
Nasution said that Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines
\nsupported the plan.<\/p>\n
Andre said that the association expected to win at least four
\ngold medals from the four events. Indonesia managed only one
\nsilver medal and one bronze in the last SEA Games in Chiang Mai,
\nThailand.<\/p>\n
Veterans Ananta Sigit Sidharta, Kempeng Pondiar, James
\nLengkang and Jimmy Arianto look certain to form the backbone of
\nthe national team next year.<\/p>\n
Also yesterday the Indonesian Bowling Association met with the
\ncouncil to deliver its plan outline for the 19th Games.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the association, Oke F. Supit, said that nine
\nyoung bowlers are being groomed for the biennial event. \"They,
\nthe ages of whom are an average of 23 years, are set to fill the
\nshoes of our aging athletes,\" Oka said.<\/p>\n
The young guns, composed of five male and four female bowlers,
\nwill take part in the President Cup here in April, Indocement Cup
\nhere in May and the Youth Asian Zone in Seoul, South Korea in
\nJune. (05)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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