Muray and Suryo advance to 100 meters final<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Manila<\/p>\n
John Herman Muray, in the best form of his career the age of
\n27, sped through the 100 meters sprint semifinals on Sunday as
\ntrack and field got underway at Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.<\/p>\n
The Papuan will not be alone in the final, with compatriot
\nSuryo Agung Wibowo also qualifying.<\/p>\n
John clocked 10.65 seconds -- outside his bronze-medal winning
\ntime of 10.59 from Vietnam two years ago -- while in the earlier
\nheat, Suryo finished first with 10.57.<\/p>\n
Backed by a special supplement program from the Indonesian
\nAthletics Association, Muray won two events of the three-stop
\n2005 Asian Grand Prix -- in Sidoarjo, East Java, as a wildcard
\nentry, and in Songkhla, Thailand<\/p>\n
He broke his personal best of 10.54 with a time of 10.45 in
\nSidoarjo, and shattered that with 10.38 in Thailand.<\/p>\n
\"Hopefully, I can push myself out front in the finals,\" John
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The Indonesians are locked in a tight rivalry with the Thai
\nduo of Sompote Suwannarangsri and Wachara Sondee. Both had second
\nplace finishes in their respective semifinals.<\/p>\n
\"I can't say anything about their chances yet because the
\nother runners may not have stretched themselves during the
\nheats,\" national athletics team official Tigor Tanjung said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia also has the chance to win medals in the women's 100
\nmeters, with Supiati and Deysie Sumigar each finishing third in
\ntheir semifinals.<\/p>\n
No Indonesian athletes were in contention for the first three
\ngold medals handed out from track and field's 45 on offer.<\/p>\n
The Philippines romped to a one-two finish in the long jump
\nfinal, thanks to Marestella Torres (6.47 meters) and Lerma Elmira
\nGabito (6.45).<\/p>\n
But a couple of record-breaking performances in the high jump
\nand pole vault grabbed the attention the day.<\/p>\n
Bui Thi Nhong bettered the eight-year-old Games high jump mark
\nof 1.88 set by Achalach Kerdchang of Thailand, clearing the bar
\nat 1.89 meters.<\/p>\n
Rosalinda Samsu of Malaysia overcame a light drizzle at the
\nstadium to win gold in the pole vault at a height of 4.10 meters,
\neclipsing the old mark of 3.95 set by Indonesia's Ni Putu Desy at
\nthe 2003 Games.<\/p>\n
Samsu, who cleared the bar on her first attempt, was a bronze
\nmedalist in the same event in Vietnam,<\/p>\n
Vietnam's Le Thi Phuong, who finished with a height of 4.00,
\ntook silver and Sunika Kao-iad of Thailand the bronze at 3.60.<\/p>\n
Heats were also held in the men's 800 meters, men's and
\nwomen's 400 meters, men's and women's 110 meters hurdles.<\/p>",
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