RI judo team decides to shift camp<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Judo Association (PJSI) has changed its plans
\nahead of its participation at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan,
\nSouth Korea.<\/p>\n
The athletes will now set out for Germany, instead of South
\nKorea as PJSI had previously considered.<\/p>\n
\"The athletes say they will be more comfortable training in
\nGermany,\" Aji Kusmantri, PJSI's deputy secretary general, told
\nreporters here on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"It appears to contradict our former plans, but we can't force
\nthem to go to a place they feel wouldn't suit them. As long as it
\n(the change of plan) benefits the team, we can't reject their
\nwishes,\" Aji said.<\/p>\n
The German outing will last for a month starting the middle of
\nthis month and will involve training in Berlin and Bonn.<\/p>\n
Judo is one of 20 events Indonesia plans to compete at in the
\nAsian Games, which will run from Sept. 29 to Oct. 14.<\/p>\n
Coach Eka Setia Siregar said the German training camp aimed at
\nbuilding up the physical shape and improving the speed and power
\nof the athletes.<\/p>\n
\"Speaking about technical ability and skills, the athletes are
\nalready well-equipped. They just need to accelerate their speed
\nand power to compete against the strong opposition in Busan,\"
\nsaid Eka, a former national champion.<\/p>\n
It will be the first trip the team has made to Germany to
\ntrain in the past four months. But the entourage is heading with
\nonly two female athletes this time after two of their male
\ncompatriots were dropped from the team earlier this month.<\/p>\n
The first trip to Germany took place from May to July this
\nyear and the team comprised 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold
\nmedalists I Wayan Sutikno, Dwi Sihmanto, Endang Sri Lestari and
\nGermany-based Aprilia Marzuki.<\/p>\n
On this trip, however, only Endang and Aprilia will be going.<\/p>\n
Wayan and Dwi were among 19 athletes the National Sports
\nCouncil (KONI), which is responsible for organizing the
\nIndonesian sporting delegation to Busan, declared ineligible for
\nthe Asian Games and were removed from the training program in a
\ncampaign to make the delegation as efficient and competitive as
\npossible.<\/p>\n
Wayan and Dwi, despite their triumphant run at the SEA Games,
\nwere considered unlikely to win medals at the quadrennial Asian
\nsporting showcase.<\/p>\n
Aji said the level of competition at the Asian Games would be
\nas strong as in the Olympics, given the fact that the world's
\njudo stronghold was traditionally Asia.<\/p>\n
\"So, it will be a daunting prospect for our women athletes to
\nwin a medal. But they are likely to do better than their male
\nteammates, especially in the under 70-kilogram division,\" he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
He mentioned Japan, Iran, former Soviet states and host Korea
\nas favorites in the sport.<\/p>",
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