Indonesia cruises into Olympic bridge semis<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's men's team carved out a piece of
\nhistory when they cruised into the semifinals of the 10th Bridge
\nOlympics on Rhodes Island, Greece, Tuesday evening after beating
\nthe 1990 World Champion Iceland.<\/p>\n
Team manager Ananta Widjaja said Tuesday that the national
\nteam, comprising Eddy Manoppo\/Hengky Lasut, Denny Sacul\/Franky
\nKarwur, defeated Iceland's Jon Baldursson\/Sevar Thorbjornsson and
\nGudmundur Arnarson\/Adalsteinn Jorgensen 180-115.<\/p>\n
The national team now challenges Denmark, which eliminated
\nformer World Champion Italy 161-139, in the last four.<\/p>\n
Defending champion France, which defeated underdog Russia 203-
\n138, will take on former runner-up China Taipei, which won
\nnarrowly against former World Champion Poland 132-122.<\/p>\n
Ananta said that the team's key to success is making sure that
\nall the players are able to maintain their physical and mental
\ncondition during the 10-day Olympics.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, runner-up in Group A after France, recorded its
\nbest achievement in the quadrennial event, which is being
\ncontested by 71 countries.<\/p>\n
For the first time in history, the country reached the final
\nfour. The team's previous best performance was the quarterfinals
\nat the 1984 Olympics in Seattle, U.S.A.<\/p>\n
Indonesia debuted in the quadrennial event in 1976 in Monaco
\nand came 14th out of the 45 participating countries.<\/p>\n
The country cruised into the big four of the 1974 Bermuda Bowl
\nChampionships in Manila, Philippines and in 1975 in Venesia,
\nItaly. Only six countries, including Indonesia, took part in the
\nchampionships.<\/p>\n
In the last Olympics in Salsomadiore, Italy, Indonesia's team,
\ncomprising Giovanny Watulingas\/Sance Panelewen, Donny
\nTuerah\/Noldy George and Ong Khan Him\/Dadang Wiradia, only
\nfinished 14th out of the 45 participants.<\/p>\n
In the women's division, China beat Israel 129-57, the U.S.A.
\ndefeated the Netherlands 128-70, Canada eliminated Germany 125-91
\nand Austria won 109-82 against England.<\/p>\n
The semifinals, which will be staged over six sessions, takes
\nplace from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. (yan)<\/p>",
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