Indonesia falls at final bridge hurdle<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia came within a whisker of fulfilling
\nits dreams of winning its first Bridge Olympics gold medal but
\neventually crashed to a 238-329 defeat to defending champion
\nFrance in the men's final on Rhodes Island, Greece, last night.<\/p>\n
Playing under the watchful eyes of the Indonesian Contract
\nBridge Association's chairman, Lt. Gen. Wiranto, the combinations
\nof Henky Lasut\/Eddy Manoppo, Denny Sacul\/Franky Karwur and Sance
\nPanelewen\/Giovanni Watulingas failed to reproduce the form that
\nhelped them reach the final.<\/p>\n
\"Our players reached peak form when we beat Denmark in
\nThursday's semifinal. They were in such a buoyant mood after that
\nnerve-wracking semifinal that they felt satisfied enough just to
\nmake it to their first ever final,\" Barce Polii, an official with
\nthe Indonesian bridge association told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The victory, France's fourth and second in a row, confirmed
\nEurope's long-held stranglehold on the Olympics. Since their
\ninception in 1956, the Olympics have seen Italy triumphing three
\ntimes and Poland once, with the United States being the only non-
\nEuropean team to win the quadrennial event.<\/p>\n
France had already prepared its victory celebration when it
\nbuilt up a commanding 111-point lead going into the seventh and
\npenultimate session. A helpless Indonesia benched exhausted Henky
\nand Eddie for Sance\/Giovanni in the final session to score a
\nconsolation 62-42 win.<\/p>\n
Big surpise<\/p>\n
\"It's not an upset loss. The fact that we made it to the final
\nwas a big surprise,\" Barce consoled.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian team will move up to the life master grade from
\nworld master for its commendable showing in this year's Olympics.<\/p>\n
Indonesia beat France 21-9 in their Group A round-robin match.<\/p>\n
The Indonesians will return home on Wednesday and are expected
\nto receive a warm reception from the National Sports Council's
\ntop brass at Soekarno-Hatta airport.<\/p>\n
The Netherlands will host the next Olympics in Maastricht.<\/p>\n
Played every leap year, the Olympics are one of the two most
\nprestigious competitions in bridge. The other is the Bermuda Bowl
\nworld championship, played every two odd years.<\/p>\n
Greece hosted its first Olympics in this 1,417-square-meter
\nisland lying in the Southeast Aegean, a 40-minute flight from
\nAthens. (amd)<\/p>",
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