Sayumin eyes a gold medal this time<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Sayumin Teng has won silver medals at each of
\nthe past four SEA Games; he has the right to be a little jaded
\nwith the color.<\/p>\n
"No more silver. This year I have to earn the gold. I'll be
\nashamed if I go home with another silver," said the snooker
\nplayer.<\/p>\n
Sayumin, who was born in Jambi on Nov. 22, 1967, has competed
\nin the biennial event since the Manila Games in 1991. He played
\nnine ball before switching to snooker, but the top spot has so
\nfar eluded him.<\/p>\n
He will likely meet Kwan Poomjang and Paitoon Phonboon in
\nBrunei Darussalam.<\/p>\n
Sayumin developed an interest in the game while studying
\neconomics at Trisakti University.<\/p>\n
"My friends and I used to hang around in pool halls back in
\n1989. There was a student championship and luckily I won it. We
\nstill played on the seven feet tables. In 1990, I switched to
\nplaying the nine feet tables.<\/p>\n
"After that, I competed in the national championships in 1990
\nand I won it. Since then, I've always been called up for national
\ntraining for the SEA Games," he said last week.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the switch from nine ball to snooker, Sayumin
\nsaid: "If I play pool, I can't stand the environment. Pool
\nplayers usually smoke and drink, while I don't. I think playing
\nsnooker is much healthier, because we play in an air-conditioned
\nroom."<\/p>\n
Sayumin had an uphill task convincing his parents that not all
\nbilliard and snooker players were disreputable.<\/p>\n
"They had the wrong impression at first, because they equated
\npool halls in the city with cigarettes, alcohol and gambling. But
\nsince I won at the SEA Games -- although they were only silver
\nmedals -- they have begun to support me."<\/p>\n
Sayumin complimented the new chairman of the Indonesian
\nBilliards and Snooker Association (POBSI), Putera Astaman, who is
\nurging private station RCTI to air snooker competitions.<\/p>\n
"So far only TVRI broadcasts the national snooker master
\ncompetition," he said. "If another TV station can air the
\ncompetition, there will be many advertisements. It will be a good
\nstart for developing billiards and snooker in the country."<\/p>\n
Sayumin said he had difficulty holding down a job due to the
\nlong-term training commitment necessary for the Games.<\/p>\n
"I used to work for Astra before I graduated from school. But
\nafter I joined the training program, I resigned. I felt bad
\nhaving to skip work for months, even though my boss gave me
\npermission."<\/p>\n
In 1997 Sayumin opened a pool hall with some friends, but he
\nhad to close down the business because his place was used for
\ntraining.<\/p>\n
"Although POBSI and the National Sports Council (KONI) paid
\nfor the training, it was not enough to cover maintenance and
\noperation fees."<\/p>\n
But Sayumin still retains a dream of running his own business.
\nOnce the SEA Games are over, the 31-year-old bachelor plans to
\nopen a pool hall in Denpasar.(yan)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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