RI vows to win SEA Games crown<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian National Sports Council (KONI)
\nreiterated yesterday its goal of retaining the overall
\nchampionship title at the 18th Southeast Asian Games in Chiang
\nMai, Thailand, in December.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Thailand has vowed to land another big blow against
\narch rival Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"We are reluctant to talk about how many gold medals we have
\nto win to secure the overall title. That would only give our
\nathletes a heavy burden psychologically,\" Arie Sudewo, project
\nofficer of the centralized training program for the Games, said
\nafter a KONI plenary meeting.<\/p>\n
\"We have no other target but to win. The number of medals will
\nfully depend on how the competitions progress,\" Arie, who is also
\nKONI's vice chairman, added.<\/p>\n
Thailand has set a gigantic target of 130 gold medals to
\nregain regional sporting supremacy at the event, which will be
\nheld between Dec. 9 and Dec. 17. Thailand seized the crown from
\nIndonesia in Bangkok in 1985.<\/p>\n
KONI has been grooming no less than 600 athletes since
\nJanuary. They will participate in 26 of the 28 events contested
\nat the Games. Indonesia will pass on rugby, a newcomer to the
\nGames, and on hockey.<\/p>\n
Arie said that KONI had completed more than half of its tasks
\nin making a shortlist of national team members. \"We will reduce
\nthe nominees by 25 percent by Sept. 15 and will form the definite
\nteam by Nov. 1,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nov. 1 is the deadline for all participating countries to
\ninform Games Organizing Committee of their final teams.<\/p>\n
Of the 26 sports, only weightlifting and cycling have
\ncompleted their selections.<\/p>\n
Indonesia deployed 400 sportsmen and women to collect 88
\ngolds, 81 silvers and 83 bronzes for the overall title in the
\n1993 meet in Singapore.<\/p>\n
KONI has pledged to field only athletes with great medal-
\nwinning prospects. \"We fully understand that we face a big
\nnemesis,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"That's why we appreciate (the actions of) Yayuk Basuki, for
\nexample, who has confirmed her commitment to join the national
\nteam.\"<\/p>\n
Yayuk, ranked 26th in the world, was called up for the Games
\nin order to assure Indonesia of one or two golds from women's
\ntennis, Arie said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Imron Z.S., executive chairman of the national
\namateur boxing body (Pertina), has included the Bahari brothers,
\nPino and Nemo, in his 18 nominees for the Games.<\/p>\n
\"They proved they could perform commendably during the
\nPresident's Cup, despite their only two months of preparations,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Imron added that Pertina has set a target of winning between
\ntwo and four gold medals for the Indonesian team at the Games.
\n(amd)<\/p>",
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