Mission impossible for local swimmers at Asiad: Official<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's bid to win at least bronze medals in
\nthe pool at the 13th Asian Games is unrealistic, an Indonesian
\nSwimming Association official said on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"We will take on a mission impossible if we have to carry the
\nburden of finishing among the continent's top three,\" the
\nassociation's deputy technical director, Gerald Item, said.<\/p>\n
\"The monetary crisis has hit our preparations for the games.
\nIf the swimmers were practicing in the United States, they could
\nmake it,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Indonesia last won a rare bronze through the women's 4X100-
\nmeter freestyle relay quartet of Meitry Widya Pangestika, Elfira
\nRosa Nasution, Yeyen Gunawan and Chia Fek Kim in the 1990 event
\nin Beijing. All have now retired from international competition.<\/p>\n
The National Sports Council did not enter a swimming team at
\nthe most recent Asian Games held in Hiroshima, Japan four years
\nago.<\/p>\n
This time around the council will allow national swimmers to
\nenter the Asiad in Bangkok from Dec. 6 to Dec. 20 provided they
\nmeet the qualifying times for the games in their final trial here
\nnext week.<\/p>\n
Gerald, himself a former leading swimmer, said he was
\nskeptical that his proteges would qualify due to their training
\nproblems.<\/p>\n
All but two swimmers sent for overseas trainings last year
\nhave returned home and are now practicing at their local clubs.
\nRita Mariani and her teammate Catherine Surya have continued
\ntraining in the United States and Australia respectively with
\ntheir families financial backing.<\/p>\n
The association is grooming nine swimmers for the Asiad, five
\nof whom are female.<\/p>\n
Gerald, the husband of former swimming queen Elfira, said
\nIndonesia's best, albeit slim change of taking a medal lies in
\nthe women's 4X100m freestyle relay.<\/p>\n
\"The Asian third best mark is 3 minutes 56.50 seconds. If each
\nof our women's quartet clocks 59 seconds, I believe they deserve
\na podium finish,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, relay team member Silvy Triana said she was doubtful
\nthat she could meet the time limit set by her coach.<\/p>\n
\"It's impossible for me to meet that. My best time in the 100m
\nfreestyle is three and a half seconds off the Asian record of
\n56.30 and two seconds slower than the Southeast Asian Games
\nmark,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Silvy, who was about to leave for the U.S. when the
\nassociation asked her teammates to return home, said she has been
\npracticing intensively for three months. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mission-impossible-for-local-swimmers-at-asiad-official-1447893297",
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