Table tennis' Anton joins Olympic training<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The 2000 Olympic Games executive training
\ndirector, Arie Sudewo, said on Monday that men's singles table
\ntennis player Anton Suseno would join the training program for
\nthe quadrennial event.<\/p>\n
\"I'm sure the training project leader and chairman for the
\nNational Sports Council (KONI), Wismoyo Arismunandar, will give
\nhis approval to invite Anton to join the training program. We
\nhave no problem with the funding. Moreover, only one extra
\nathlete has joined the training,\" he said.<\/p>\n
KONI has been grooming 71 athletes from 11 sports -- archery,
\nbadminton, boxing, diving, judo, swimming, weightlifting,
\nwindsurfing, taekwondo, tennis and track and field.<\/p>\n
Anton finished 15th in the Asian Championships, which was also
\nan Olympic prequalifying round.<\/p>\n
Arie, also KONI's vice chairman, said the council would
\nprovide Rp 500,000 (US$68) in monthly compensation and a Rp
\n50,000 daily stipend for board and lodging to each athlete during
\nthe duration of training. He said each athlete also received
\nUS$900 for overseas events.<\/p>\n
\"KONI has decided to finance the athletes for two overseas
\ntryouts. If they want to compete more, we are asking sports
\norganizations to finance their transportation and accommodation
\nfees.\" He said senior women's tennis player Yayuk Basuki and
\nWynne Prakusya received their share to compete in tournaments in
\nthe U.S.<\/p>\n
He also said the amount of the board and lodging stipend would
\nremain unchanged even when the athletes were competing overseas.<\/p>\n
\"We already set the standard. If they train in Jakarta, they
\nwill only have to pay about Rp 48,000 at the Atlet Century Park
\nhotel,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, men's pole vaulter Nunung Jayadi, who is being
\nprepared to compete in the Chinese Taipei Open, said he would
\nneed three months to adapt his new 4.90m pole to enable him to
\njump 5.50m, the Olympic qualifying height.<\/p>\n
\"I have tried to jump the height five times but failed each
\ntime. I need three months to adapt to the new pole before
\ncompeting in the Taipei Open in May. Coach Hadi Wacono said if I
\ncan use the new pole, I can jump at least 5.50m,\" he told Arie
\nduring a visit at the Senayan Madya stadium.<\/p>\n
Nunung's personal best was 5.05m set at the 1999 Southeast
\nAsian (SEA) Games. He eclipsed by 15 centimeters the mark set by
\nEdward Lasquette of the Philippines in the 1995 Games in Chiang
\nMai, Thailand.<\/p>\n
\"Using the old pole of 4.60m, I can jump at the highest 5.30m
\nduring training,\" Nunung said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Amateur Athletics Association (PASI) head of
\njumping events commission, Eka Nugraha, said that Nunung had a
\nproblem with his power and also concerns about his eligibility to
\nuse the pole.<\/p>\n
\"If he can manage to adapt within three months, I hope the
\nTaipei Open will be his first attempt to compete with the new
\npole and he can jump over 5.50m,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Women's sprinter Irene Joseph and the men's 4x100m relay team
\nhave qualified from athletics for the Olympics.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, KONI secretary-general Rudolf S. Warouw confirmed
\nthat he would meet with the director of state-owned gas company
\nPT PGN, Qoyum A. Tjandranegara, to discuss the state enterprise's
\nstalled donation for Olympic training.<\/p>\n
Warouw said that he would provide clarification of the
\ncouncil's account of the 1999 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. Qoyum
\nhad earlier said that he would retain the funding because of
\nquestions about KONI's official audit. (ivy\/yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/table-tennis-anton-joins-olympic-training-1447893297",
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