RI boxers eying 6 SEA Games golds<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has launched a strong bid to restore
\nits pride in the SEA Games boxing competitions by setting a
\ntarget of winning six gold medals at the 19th holding of the
\nbiennial event here next year.<\/p>\n
Secretary-General of the Indonesian Amateur Boxing
\nAssociation, Didit Sudijoto, said yesterday that the goal is
\nrealistic mainly due to the advantage of competing at home and
\nthe organization's well-planned preparations.<\/p>\n
"Our failure in the SEA Games last year was because of, among
\nother things, the lack of preparation of both our boxers and
\ncoaches," Didit said. "It is an uphill task but we promise to
\nstrive hard to achieve it."<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Sports Council had previously estimated a more
\nrealistic tally of four golds, two silvers and two bronzes at
\nnext year's Games.<\/p>\n
Boxing will maintain the 12 conventional weight divisions next
\nyear.<\/p>\n
The 1997 SEA Games is the third on Indonesian soil. The first
\nwas in 1979 and the second in 1987.<\/p>\n
Next year's event will run from Oct. 11 to Oct. 19., during a
\nschool holiday.<\/p>\n
Indonesian boxers won five finals berths in the 18th SEA Games
\nin Chiang Mai, Thailand, but none were converted into gold
\nmedals. An angry Indonesian official accused the organizers of
\nunfair judging, but the complaint received no response from the
\njubilant host which celebrated a record clean sweep in all 12
\nfinals.<\/p>\n
It was Indonesia's worst result since its SEA Games debut in
\n1977. The country had been on the decline in the previous three
\nmeets. It brought home a modest medal collection of two golds, a
\nsilver and five bronzes in the 1993 meet in Singapore.<\/p>\n
Didit said that the association's 33 boxers are attending a
\ntraining camp under the tutelage of 10 coaches led by Cuban
\nIsidoro Trotman. The program started on Oct. 15, two weeks
\nearlier than the schedule set by the sports council.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Olympians, light flyweight Lapaene Masara,
\nflyweight Hermensen Ballo, light middleweight Hendrik
\nSimangunsong and middleweight Albert Papilaya, are the biggest
\nnames at the camp. Favorite Bahari brothers of Pino and Nemo
\nrefused the calls, saying that they will hang up their gloves.<\/p>\n
The association has extended its contract with Trotman, who
\nhas been coaching here for two years.<\/p>\n
Didit said that the trainees will work out at two centers, in
\nRagunan, South Jakarta and Bogor, West Java. "It's just an
\nattempt to prevent the boxers from getting bored," he said.<\/p>\n
A series of tryouts in Cuba, the Philippines, Pakistan and
\nAustralia have been drawn up for the boxers during the 11-month
\ntraining program.<\/p>\n
The association will also provide monthly incentives for both
\nthe trainees and coaches. Each boxer will receive Rp 300,000
\n(US$135), while coach will get twice that amount. (amd)<\/p>",
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