WHO names tennis star Angie one of its Health Champions<\/p>\n
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The World Health Organization (WHO) representative office in
\nIndonesia appointed Indonesia's tennis starlet Angelique Widjaja
\non Thursday as its first Health Champion to promote a healthy
\nlifestyle among young people.<\/p>\n
\"It is a great opportunity for WHO to cooperate with a young
\nathlete like Angelique. She is the perfect model for promoting a
\nhealthy lifestyle among young people,\" WHO representative Dr.
\nGeorg Petersen said in his speech.<\/p>\n
The six-month contract was signed during a thanksgiving
\nceremony at the Hotel Hilton Executive Club to celebrate her
\ncurrent success.<\/p>\n
Angelique, affectionately known as Angie, won her first major
\ntitle at the US$170,000 Wismilak International WTA tournament in
\nBali earlier this month. This boosted her WTA ranking from 579 to
\n153.<\/p>\n
Angie has also made history by becoming the first Indonesian
\ntennis player to grab the Wimbledon's girls singles title.<\/p>\n
Petersen told The Jakarta Post that Angie was the first to be
\nappointed as a Health Champion.<\/p>\n
\"This is a kind of pilot project launched by the WHO office
\nhere. If it is successful, we will launch a world wide campaign
\nwith more athletes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"As for Indonesia, we will soon name a male Health Champion
\nchosen from among young athletes. We have already several
\ncandidates in mind.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Angie said she was very happy to be named the
\nHealth Champion. Her main duties will include campaigning for a
\nsmoke and drugs free environment.<\/p>\n
\"I want to be a role model for Indonesian young people to stay
\naway from smoking and using drugs. It is part of my social
\nobligation to Indonesian young people to become a volunteer for
\nWHO,\" she said.<\/p>\n
As for her future tennis career, Angie said she had set a
\ntarget of entering the WTA's best 100 rank.<\/p>\n
Spokesman for the Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti), Benny
\nMailili told reporters that Angie would not find it difficult to
\nreach her target of entering the WTA's best 100 during her tour
\nnext year.<\/p>\n
\"It should not be difficult because she will take part in 13
\nWTA tournaments. She doesn't have to be the champion to reach the
\ntarget,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Even reaching semifinals is enough for her to get into the
\nbest 50 ranks. If she can win several tournaments, she should get
\ninto the best 20.\"<\/p>\n
\"But Angie will have a difficult task in 2003 because she will
\nhave to maintain her ranking. She should select the tournaments
\ncarefully,\" he continued.<\/p>\n
Benny also said that the WTA had decided to scrap the $110,000
\nWismilak WTA Tour to be held in Surabaya later this month due to
\nsecurity concerns.<\/p>\n
\"The organizers from Wismilak just told me this morning that
\nthe WTA decided to scrap the event despite security guarantees
\nfrom the organizers,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"I also understand that Wismilak and the WTA are still engaged
\nin negotiations but I don't know about what.\"<\/p>\n
Following the 1998 riots in Jakarta, Wismilak moved its
\ntournament to Malaysia in 1999 and 2000 before returning home
\nthis year.<\/p>",
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