Champion Juana may be kept out of SEAG<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Taekwondo Association is still in
\ndoubt about fielding team backbone Juana Wangsa Putri in the
\nupcoming 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam
\nnext month.<\/p>\n
Association chairman Suharto told reporters on Thursday that
\nJuana's name was not on the list submitted to the Games
\norganizers last week, but said he would approach the National
\nSports Council (KONI) to ask if Juana can compete in the event.
\nThe deadline for athlete name submissions was on July 10.<\/p>\n
\"However, Juana is focussing on competing in the 2000 Olympics
\nin Sydney. If she competes in the SEA Games, we must be sure she
\nwon't get hurt because until now she's the only taekwon doin
\nqualified for the Olympics,\" said Suharto after welcoming Juana
\nat the Soekarno-Hatta international airport.<\/p>\n
\"If I have to compete in the SEA Games I must be prepared,\"
\nJuana said, adding her toughest rivals would come from Thailand
\nand Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Indonesia grabbed six of 16 gold medals on offer in tae kwon
\ndo events at the 1997 Games here. This year, the association is
\nkeeping a low profile and only hopes for four of 16 golds at
\nstake.<\/p>\n
Juana, competing in the women's flyweight Olympic division,
\nqualified for the Olympics after she reached the semifinals of
\nthe pre-Olympics qualifying round in Croatia from July 8 to July
\n11.<\/p>\n
She beat Tshering Choki of Bhutan in the first round, defeated
\nLaurence Rase of Belgium in the second round and won over Noa
\nShmida of Israel in the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n
Juana lost to American Kay Poe in the semis with a right leg
\ninjury from the quarterfinals match. Poe won the tournament after
\nbeating Dondu Guveno of Turkey in the final. Another qualifier is
\nHuan Mai Thi Nguyen of Vietnam.<\/p>\n
\"Kay's speed was very fast and I barely moved my injured leg.
\nI was unable to kick during the match,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Coach Oh Il-nam said Juana was in doubt before fighting Poe.<\/p>\n
\"But I told her to learn something from the match because she
\nwill meet her at the Olympics anyway. I hope in the remaining
\none-year period, Juana can improve her weaknesses,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Juana, Dominggus Wasanono Boro (men's fider Olympic) and
\nVeronica Widyarini (women's fider Olympic) competed in the
\nqualifying round. Both Dominggus and Veronica crashed in the
\nfirst rounds. While Satrio Rahardani (men's fly Olympic) failed
\nto compete after suffering chicken pox.<\/p>\n
\"Dominggus, who usually competes in the bantamweight, had to
\ngain weight in a very short time due to the limited division for
\nthe Olympics qualification. It made him lose his energy. While
\nVeronica lacks experience. Her only international tournament was
\nthe 1997 SEA Games,\" Oh said.<\/p>\n
According to Olympics rules, tae kwon do features only eight
\ndivisions: men's and women's fly Olympic, men's and women's fider
\nOlympic, men's and women's welter Olympic and men's and women's
\nheavy Olympic.(yan)<\/p>",
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