Myanmar vows to regain past glory<\/p>\n
As the 19th SEA Games draws near, The Jakarta Post
\nwill run a profile of each of the 10 participating
\ncountries. the story below is fourth in the series.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Myanmar will compete in the 19th Southeast Asian
\n(SEA) Games here determined to radically improve on its
\nperformance in the last competition.<\/p>\n
Yangon is targeting 20 gold medals in the coming SEA Games, or
\nfive times its medal tally in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the director
\ngeneral of the sport and physical education department, Col. Hla
\nMyint Kyaw was quoted by Kompas as saying.<\/p>\n
The 18th SEA Games in Chiang Mai two years ago was a nightmare
\nfor Myanmar when it only succeeded in winning four of the 338
\ngold medals at stake.<\/p>\n
If Myanmar accomplishes its "20 gold medals" mission, it will
\nbe a return to its 1970s heyday of SEA Games participation. It
\nwon 21 gold medals in the 9th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1977
\nand 26 gold medals in the 10th SEA Games in Jakarta in 1979.<\/p>\n
To realize this ambitious project, Myanmar has spent about
\nUS$1.5 million on financing a training camp, athletes' salaries,
\nlocal and foreign coaches' salaries, international warm-up
\ncompetitions and equipment.<\/p>\n
Myanmar's determination to accomplish the "20 gold medals
\nmission" is also shown by the fact that its training camp this
\nyear was longer than ever before. Lasting nine months, it was
\nthree months longer than the "normal" six months of previous
\nyears.<\/p>\n
"The longer period of preparation should improve Myanmar's
\nperformance," Myint Kyaw said.<\/p>\n
Myanmar is sending 384 athletes to the 19th SEA Games. They
\nwill compete in 25 sports, including rowing, track and field and
\nshooting.<\/p>\n
The above three sports are considered to be among the most
\nlikely sources of gold medals for the Myanmar contingent.<\/p>\n
The chairman of Myanmar's rowing federation, U Sein Htoon,
\nsaid his squad's times had been improving and that the athletes
\nwere in prime condition.<\/p>\n
Improved times, according to Sein, are partly a result of
\nmodernized training methods, both on and off the net.<\/p>\n
The threat from Myanmar has been acknowledged by Indonesian
\nRowing Association officials.<\/p>\n
Budiman Setiawan, the association's secretary-general said
\nthat the Indonesian and Myanmar squads were equally strong.<\/p>\n
"In the coming SEA Games, I think Myanmar will have a good
\nchance to take some of the 31 gold medals on offer in rowing,"
\nBudiman said.<\/p>\n
In the 18th SEA Games two years ago, Myanmar's rowing team was
\ndefeated by the Indonesians in five of the seven divisions in
\nwhich they competed. But, on each occasion it was only by a split
\nsecond.<\/p>\n
This year Myanmar has an obsession to settle the score.<\/p>\n
Sein Htoon said Myanmar would also be a serious gold medal
\ncontender in the traditional boat race.<\/p>\n
Track and field<\/p>\n
In the track and field competition, for which Myanmar is
\nsending 21 athletes, the secretary-general of the Myanmar Track
\nand Field Federation, Mya Than Htike, said that the contingent
\nwould count on track events.<\/p>\n
The best opportunities, he said, would be in the middle and
\nlong distance races, the decathlon and discuss.<\/p>\n
In Chiang Mai, one of Myanmar's track and field stars, Khin
\nKhin Hwe, took the gold medals in the women's 1.500 and 3.000
\nmeters.<\/p>\n
"We are still relying on her (this year)," Mya Than said<\/p>\n
A Chinese coach has been in Myanmar fine tuning the fitness
\nand performance of the country's track and field athletes.<\/p>\n
Myanmar is also gunning for shooting medals. In Chiang Mai,
\nMyanmar struck gold in the 50 meters women's sport pistol event
\nthanks to Thander Su Myint.<\/p>\n
Khin So Thaik and Soe Kyi are also expected to contribute
\nmedals in the shooting events.<\/p>\n
Myanmar will also count on weightlifting, judo, taekwondo,
\nkarate and boxing. Wind surfing, soccer, pencak silat and sepak
\ntakraw are events where it has outside chances of winning medals.<\/p>\n
Myanmar had done a lot to realize this ambitious project.<\/p>\n
In an effort to boost sports development, the government
\nestablished the ministry of sport and physical education (SPED).<\/p>\n
According to sports director Maj. (ret.) Maung Win, SPED will,
\nin the near future, develop a national sport institute. This is
\nexpected to be the center of sports development and also a venue
\nto train national athletes.<\/p>\n
This year Myanmar took an unprecedented step in its history by
\nintroducing bonuses.<\/p>\n
Officials have promised to give apartments and prize money to
\nsuccessful athletes in the 19th SEA Games.<\/p>\n
SPED director general Myint Kyaw is certain that the bonus
\nscheme would help stimulate his athletes' fighting spirit.<\/p>\n
With such stimulation and preparation, the 19th SEA Games in
\nJakarta could well be a turning point for Myanmar, an opportunity
\nto turn the clock back to the late 1970s. (10)<\/p>",
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