Poor performances dominate second invitational meet<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Mediocre performances dominated the second Bob
\nHasan track and field invitational meet held at Senayan yesterday
\nevening.<\/p>\n
Europeans and Americans were the kings and the queens of the
\nmeet which saw female javelin thrower Lee Young Sun of South
\nKorea as the only Asian gold-medal winner. Asia's powerhouse
\nChina was surprisingly numb. It won only two bronze medals.<\/p>\n
No Indonesian won a medal. But the fact that the 15,000-
\ncapacity Senayan Madya stadium, the venue of the meet, was almost
\noverflowing with actively cheering crowds may harbinger the
\npromotion of the meet (officially called the International
\nAmateur Athletics Federation permit meet) to Grand Prix Two
\nstatus.<\/p>\n
Secretary-general of the Asian Amateur Athletics Association
\nMauritz Nicholas told reporters he was optimistic about it.<\/p>\n
\"Yes, we stand a good chance. The stadium is full. The
\norganization (of this meet) is good. The competitions ran
\nexcellently. The meet is surely going to get a GP Two status, if
\nnot next year, perhaps in 1998.\"<\/p>\n
If the organizers succeed in maintaining the meet's quality,
\nthe GP Two status will soon become GP One status, which is the
\nhighest. Currently, Japan is the only Asian country which has
\nobtained GP One status and India the only Asian country with GP
\nTwo status.<\/p>\n
\"We are planning to start an Asian GP next year. With this Bob
\nHasan meet a resounding success, I'm hopeful that Jakarta will be
\none of its legs,\" Nicholas added.<\/p>\n
However, if the Bob Hasan meet is always held about this time
\n(early May), the chances are that European and American athletes
\nwho come to the meet would rarely show their best performance.<\/p>\n
Three-time world discus throw champion Lars Riedel, for
\ninstance, only threw 65.94m, far below his best of 69.08.
\nAmerican sprinter Dennis Mitchell clocked 10.22sec, far behind
\nhis best of 9.91 and slower than the best time of former
\nIndonesian champion Mardi Lestari. Danish pole vaulter Martin
\nVoss vaulted 5.60m, also far below his personal best of 5.72m.<\/p>\n
The timing of this meet is to blame for such mediocrity.
\nRiedel and Voss said it was their first outings in their
\ncompetitive season after a long rest over the winter. A problem
\nwith wind is perhaps there, although this may not be significant.
\nMitchell said he ran against a very bad headwind but was
\nsatisfied with the way he ran the race. Voss said he also had
\nsome problems with the headwind. Riedel said he had anticipated
\nthe headwind and blamed \"not very good technique\" for his \"poor\"
\nresult.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's long-distance runner Tri Asih Handayani also
\nrecorded a poor result, 4:36.08 in the 1500m. She finished fifth
\nbehind Therese Kisel of Austria (4:18.33), Khin-khin Htwe of
\nMyanmar (4:20.36) and two Australians. Handayani said, \"I was
\nunderprepared. I should have prepared for one month, not two
\nweeks. Besides, I had no idea that I would compete here. So far,
\nI have trained for the 5,000m at the Malaysia Open later this
\nmonth.\"<\/p>\n
The only Asian smile came from Lee Young Sun, whose personal
\nbest for the javelin is 63.32m. The 23-year-old physical training
\ngraduate said she was not surprised that she was able to beat her
\nEuropean and American opponents. \"They are not the best, perhaps
\nonly second or third-rate athletes. That's why I can win here.\"
\n(arf)<\/p>\n
Leading results<\/p>\n
Women<\/p>\n
100m:
\n 1. Savatheda Fynes (Bah) 11.24 seconds
\n 2. Juliet Cuthbert (Jam) 11.27
\n 3. Susanthika Jayasinghe (Sri) 11.40<\/p>\n
Javelin:
\n 1. Lee Young Sun (Kor) 59.0 metres
\n 2. Kate Farrow (Aus) 58.6
\n 3. Chartwadee Suthon (Tha) 49.7<\/p>\n
100m hurdles:
\n 1. Melissa Morrisson (U.S.) 13.21 seconds
\n 2. Monifa Taylor (U.S.) 13.22<\/p>\n
400m:
\n 1. Kim Graham (U.S.) 51.97 seconds
\n 2. Flirtisha Harris (U.S.) 53.19<\/p>\n
1500m:
\n 1. Therese Kiesl (Aut) 4:18.33 seconds
\n 2. Khin Khin Htwe (Mya) 4:20.36
\n 3. Nicole Robinson (Aus) 4:22.77<\/p>\n
Shot put:
\n 1. Elleen Vanisi (U.S.) 17.92 metres
\n 2. Elena Baltabaeva (Kaz) 17.29
\n 3. Liu Lina (Chn) 16.79<\/p>\n
Men's<\/p>\n
100m:
\n 1. Dennis Mitchell (U.S.) 10.22 seconds
\n 2. Vincent Henderson (U.S.) 10.27
\n 3. Patrik Strenius (Sweden) 10.52<\/p>\n
110m hurdles:
\n 1. Terry Reese (U.S.) 13.51 seconds
\n 2. Robert Foster (Jam) 13.75
\n 3. Svein Pieters (Bel) 13.80<\/p>\n
400m:
\n 1. Ibrah Ismail Faraj (Qat) 45.04 seconds
\n 2. Calvin Davis (U.S.) 45.41
\n 3. Jason Rouser (U.S.) 45.88<\/p>\n
1500m:
\n 1. Mogens Gulberg (Den) 3:44.23 seconds
\n 2. Bahadur Prassad (Ind) 3:44.49
\n 3. Darren Lynch (Aus) 3:44.93<\/p>\n
Triple jump:
\n 1. Desmont Hunt (U.S.) 16.71 metres
\n 2. Ivory Angella (Bah) 16.46
\n 3. Duan Qifeng (Chn) 16.17<\/p>\n
Pole vault:
\n 1. Martin Voss (Den) 5.6 metres
\n 2. Bill Deering (U.S.) 5.5
\n 3. Jimmy Miller (Aus) 5.5<\/p>\n
Discus:
\n 1. Lars Riedel (Ger) 65.94 metres
\n 2. Stefan Fernholm (Swe) 59.62
\n 3. Poltoratski Roman (Uzb) 58.54<\/p>",
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