Paddler Anton gets Olympics berth<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian men's singles table tennis player
\nAnton Suseno qualified for the Olympic Games in Sydney in
\nSeptember after finishing 15th on Friday in the Asian
\nChampionships, which also served as Olympic qualifiers.<\/p>\n
Anton, who finished second in the championship's group C
\nbehind Chinese player Wang Licin, is the only Southeast Asian
\nplayer to qualify for the Olympics.<\/p>\n
Thailand sent two players, Phakpoong and Phuchong, but neither
\nof them reached the event's last 16. Singapore and Malaysia
\nskipped the championships.<\/p>\n
This year's Olympics will be the third time Anton has
\nparticipated in the quadrennial event, having previously competed
\nin the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and the 1996 Olympics in
\nAtlanta, Georgia.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, Indonesian women's singles Rossy Pratiwi
\nDipoyanti failed for the third to earn an Olympic berth. She
\nmanaged to finish third in the group after Chinese and Hong Kong
\nplayers.<\/p>\n
Coach Diana Wuisan said, as quoted by Media Indonesia daily,
\nthat Indonesian women's singles players Rossy, Putri Hasibuan and
\nFauziah Yulianti had great chances of qualifying but were
\nluckless in the group's draw.<\/p>\n
Diana hoped Indonesia would qualify in the women's doubles
\nalthough she admitted the chances were slim as national players
\nwould face tough challenges from China, Japan, Chinese Taipei and
\nHong Kong.<\/p>\n
\"With improper preparations and the unstable economic
\nsituation in the country, I can say that we have done our best,\"
\nsaid the Indonesian Table Tennis Association (PTMSI) secretary
\ngeneral, Johnny Waworuntu, as quoted by Kompas. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/paddler-anton-gets-olympics-berth-1447893297",
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