KONI picks 122 athletes for Asian Games training<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) named
\nyesterday 122 athletes from 20 sports who will start centralized
\ntraining Sept. 1 for the 13th Asian Games.<\/p>\n
National team training director Mochamad Hindarto -- who
\nannounced last Thursday that 109 athletes would be called up --
\nexplained yesterday that last-minute inclusions were made on the
\nrequest of KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar when council
\nofficials and training directors of sport organizations held a
\nseries of meetings in recent days.<\/p>\n
Hindarto said men's badminton player Hendrawan and women's
\nlong-distance runner Ruwiyati were among the additions.<\/p>\n
Hindarto termed Wismoyo's intervention \"a special policy\", but
\nrefused to elaborate.<\/p>\n
\"I could just recommend to him (Wismoyo) which athletes
\ndeserved the summons. But the final say was with him.\"<\/p>\n
He said Hendrawan made the list following his triumph in the
\nSingapore Open earlier this month. Hendrawan also nailed a
\nmorale-boosting win to help Indonesia retain the Thomas Cup world
\nmen's badminton team championship trophy in May.<\/p>\n
Of Ruwiyati's selection, Hindarto said: \"She holds the best
\nwomen's marathon time.\" She won the 19th Southeast Asian Games
\nmarathon gold medal last year.<\/p>\n
Of 76 sportsmen and 46 women selected for the training
\nsession, the soccer team boasted the most athletes with 18,
\nfollowed by badminton squad with one less pick. The council
\nincluded only one gymnast and two wushu martial artists.<\/p>\n
Badminton, beach volleyball, boxing, rowing, canoeing,
\ngymnastics, karate, shooting, tennis, weightlifting, windsurfing
\nand wushu are the sports ticked for priority.<\/p>\n
Soccer, equestrian events, track and field, fencing, judo,
\nsepak takraw, swimming and tae kwon do have been rated poorer
\nmedal-winning prospects.<\/p>\n
Hindarto said 138 male and 87 female athletes were proposed by
\ntheir respective sport organizations in April for the training
\nprogram.<\/p>\n
He added that he had suggested that KONI send a streamlined
\ncomprising of 69 athletes, 21 coaches and 14 officials to the
\nAsiad, scheduled to be held in Bangkok in December.<\/p>\n
\"But Pak Wismoyo wants more athletes up to 114, plus 33
\ncoaches and 24 officials,\" Hindarto said. He added the figure
\nexcluded masseurs, doctors, psychologists and logistics
\npersonnel.<\/p>\n
Funds<\/p>\n
Hindarto estimated the daily expenses of Indonesian athletes
\nand coaches for the entire Dec. 6 to Dec. 20 event would be
\nUS$266,000 and $67,000 respectively.<\/p>\n
He said the council had received Rp 150 million ($12,500) of
\nRp 3 billion promised by the government to finance the training
\nprogram.<\/p>\n
\"We can ask for the rest of the state funds anytime we need
\nthem.\"<\/p>\n
Separately, the council's deputy chairman, Arie Sudewo, said
\nKONI would approach governors of the 22 home provinces of
\nathletes to request financial aid.<\/p>\n
\"We may write to them with our request and send a team to
\nthem. Hopefully, they will be willing to help us.\"<\/p>\n
He said the contingent would travel on commercial airlines in
\na cost-cutting method. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/koni-picks-122-athletes-for-asian-games-training-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}