Nemo brings home boxing silver medal<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's last toe-hold at the 18th Asian
\nAmateur Boxing Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, came unstuck
\non Sunday.<\/p>\n
The country's last hope, Nemo Michel Bahari, succumbed 3-4 to
\npre-tournament favorite Tilegenov Bakhtiyar of Kazakhstan in the
\nfeatherweight final.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Nemo's brother, middleweight Pino Bahari, tumbled at
\nthe hands of another Kazakhstani, Yarebekov Dilshod, who was
\neventually named the Best Boxer of the tournament.<\/p>\n
The other three Indonesian boxers who were disposed of in the
\nearlier stages of the championship were flyweight Rachman Kili-
\nkili, lightflyweight Hermensen Ballo and lightweight Sonny
\nRambing.<\/p>\n
\"I apologize to the whole nation for this loss. I tried my
\nbest, but the odds were against me. I accept this loss
\nphilosophically,\" Nemo said.<\/p>\n
The slow-moving scores indicated that both Nemo and his
\nopponent were slow-movers.<\/p>\n
\"I tried almost all night long to keep Nemo's fever down,\"
\nsaid the boxer's father and coach Daniel Bahari. \"Though he did
\nnot make it, he played it all out. And he followed all my
\ninstructions.\"<\/p>\n
Nemo sustained an injury to his left eye during his semifinal
\nfight against Vincent Galido, the Filipino opponent whom he
\ndefeated 13-5 at the President's Cup International Boxing
\nTournament in Jakarta in August. Following the injury, he
\nsuffered from fever.<\/p>\n
\"Of course he was not at his best,\" Daniel commented. \"How
\ncould he have been, suffering from fever?\"<\/p>\n
At the same time, Daniel maintained that his son should have
\nwon the bout with Bakhtiyar. \"If you watch the fight on video,
\nyou'll see that Nemo landed many jabs and punches in the third
\nround which were not counted by the judges,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, Nemo's success in advancing to the final secured
\nhim a berth at next year's Olympic Games in Atlanta.<\/p>\n
For Nemo's four teammates to make it to Atlanta, they will
\nhave work much harder in two international tournaments in the
\nPhilippines and Thailand next year.<\/p>\n
Becoming finalists in the two tournaments will not be enough
\nfor them. To get tickets to the Olympic Games, the four
\nIndonesian boxers will have to emerge as champions. (arf)<\/p>",
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