Chinese coach to lead RI divers to SEA Games<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian aquatic sport authority has turned to China in an
\neffort to step up the performance of its divers ahead of the
\nupcoming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.<\/p>\n
\"China's (aquatic sport body) has informed us of the coach's
\nname: Zhang Gyun. He will arrive here in August,\" Harly Ramayani,
\nthe national coach, told The Jakarta Post while supervising her
\nproteges at practice at the Bung Karno Swimming Pool here on
\nMonday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Eleven of the 12 divers -- six men and six women -- were
\npracticing. Among them was Shenny Ratna Amelia, the gold medalist
\nin the 10m platform event of the 1999 SEA Games in Brunei
\nDarussalam.<\/p>\n
Harly admitted she was not familiar with the Chinese coach,
\nbut said she was optimistic about the coach's abilities not only
\nbecause China was the stronghold of the diving world, but also
\nbecause the coach had been recommended by former national coach
\nZhong Shao Zhen.<\/p>\n
Zhong was the Indonesian team's coach from 1995 to 1997,
\nduring which time Harly was the assistant coach. Harly said Zhong
\nwas now the Chinese national coach.<\/p>\n
\"I trust Zhong. She did a good job during our two-year
\npartnership,\" Harly said.<\/p>\n
In regards Zhang Gyun's upcoming task, Harly said, \"The divers
\nhave shown significant improvement since our training started
\nearly March, but I want them to be at their best.<\/p>\n
\"We expect Zhang to polish the divers' abilities. They still
\nhave to work on their entry into the pool.\"<\/p>\n
A fixed eight-strong lineup is expected at the end of June,
\nafter which the squad will carry out three overseas outings: The
\n10th FINA World Swimming Championship in Barcelona in July;
\nUniversiade in Daegu, South Korea; and the Asian Age Group
\nChampionships in Macau in August.<\/p>\n
The next SEA Games will be held in Vietnam in December, where
\nthe Indonesian diving team will be pinning its medal hopes on
\nShenny while looking for another from the remaining squad
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
\"We will not preoccupy ourselves with a target. We prefer to
\ntalk about prospects -- Shenny remains our best prospect. We hope
\nshe will take her 1999 winning run to Vietnam.<\/p>\n
\"We also have realistic hopes for another gold medal, either
\nin the men's event or the women's synchronized event,\" Harly
\nsaid, adding that Malaysia and Thailand should be tough rivals at
\nthe SEA Games.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's diving team hopefuls are: Rohmat, Ahmad Sukron
\nJamjani, Dennis Harimurti, Husaini Noor, M. Nasrullah and Sidik
\nAgus for the men's team; Shenny Ratna Amelia, Sari Ambarwati,
\nHerliani Dias, Treviani Dias, Dwi Lidia Sari and Della Dina Sari
\nfor the women's team.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/chinese-coach-to-lead-ri-divers-to-sea-games-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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