Junior boxers need more time for SEAG<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The head coach of the Indonesian boxing team for
\nthe 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Carlos J. Penate Torres,
\nsaid on Monday that national junior boxers have yet to be
\nprepared to compete in multisports events.<\/p>\n
\"I have been supervising the training of 12 juniors. They are
\nready to fight in the 2003 SEA Games instead of next year's
\nevent. They know nothing about boxing and they need to increase
\ntheir competitiveness,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Seven of his 12 boxers have been invited to join the SEA Games
\ntraining. The Indonesian Boxing Association (Pertina) has listed
\n28 boxers for the training program. The number of boxers will be
\nreduced to 11 before the Games.<\/p>\n
The seven boxers are Bonix Saweho (finweight), Karel Muskanan
\n(flyweight), Mohammad Ibrahim (featherweight), Roland Latuni
\n(light flyweight), Melky Lelemboto (Light flyweight), Afriadin
\n(bantamweight) and Jaya La Goga (welterweight).<\/p>\n
Carlos said each boxer had to fight in, at least, 25 official
\ncompetitions annually but Indonesian boxers currently only
\nperform in an average of nine competitions.<\/p>\n
\"It's not enough for Indonesian boxers to perform in only nine
\ncompetitions. They must also fight in a competition which has
\numpires and lots of spectators. It's good for their psychological
\ndevelopment,\" the Cuban coach said.<\/p>\n
He also expressed regret that Indonesia had been too slow in
\ndeveloping its juniors.<\/p>\n
\"When I came to Indonesia early this year, I found seven
\nsenior boxers here. But there were no young boxers to replace
\nthem when their seniors quit the ring,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The juniors only know how to fight but do not understand
\ncounter fighting, which is indispensable in modern boxing. They
\nonly strike their rivals but they don't use their brain to
\ndevelop their effectiveness,\" he said while pointing his finger
\nat his temple.<\/p>\n
Torres said he had set up a long-term program for his junior
\nboxers so that they could still train when their coach wasn't
\navailable. Torres' contract ended in December.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Pertina's deputy secretary general Didiet Soedijoto
\nsaid that the Cuba sport federation has agreed to extend Torres'
\ncontract for another one year.<\/p>\n
\"My contract is extended for one year until the SEA Games is
\nover. After that, I don't know. But I will agree to extend my
\ncontract if I can bring my wife and children to Indonesia,\"
\nTorres said.<\/p>\n
In a related development, Didiet said that the President of
\ninternational amateur boxing association (AIBA) Prof. Anwar
\nChowdry has asked Pertina last month to train women boxers.<\/p>\n
Didiet said the Indonesian women boxers would be selected to
\ncompete in the women's world amateur boxing championships in New
\nYork, next November. The selection procedure will take place in
\nChina sometime in June or July next year.<\/p>\n
Didiet said Pertina has yet to respond to the request, but he
\nhimself did not agree on the idea to train women for boxing.<\/p>\n
\"I don't see any reason why we should make preparations to
\ntrain female boxers, when we need to initially focus on improving
\nour male boxers,\" he was quoted by Antara as saying. (ivy)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/junior-boxers-need-more-time-for-seag-1447893297",
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