WI enters SEA Games filled with confidence<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
A good performance at the Beijing Open followed by a
\nsuccessful training camp in Guangzhou, China, has given
\nIndonesia's wushu association, WI, the confidence that its
\nathletes can win two gold medals at the Southeast Asia (SEA)
\nGames next month in Manila.<\/p>\n
\"We won six golds at the Beijing Open in August and our
\nathletes also looked capable of competing against the athletes
\nfrom Guangdong province during the training session,\" WI
\nsecretary-general Achmad Yani Saiful said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Achmad said several strong teams from around the world took
\npart in the Beijing Open.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's top wushu hopefuls are Sandy Liong, Heryanto,
\nHowandi, David, Heryanto B.P., Andriani M and Salim Ayuba in the
\nmen's division, and Susyana, Dwi Arimbi and Ivone Kumalasari in
\nthe women's division.<\/p>\n
\"The Philippines had planned to send its athletes to the
\ntournament but withdrew,\" Achmad said about the SEA Games host,
\nwhich could pose a serious threat in the wushu competition.<\/p>\n
\"The results from the Beijing tournament have given our
\nathletes the confidence that they can achieve our target of
\nwinning two golds at the SEA Games,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is fired up to bounce back from a dismal showing at
\nthe SEA Games in Vietnam two years ago, where the team failed to
\nwin one gold medal. All that Indonesia's wushu athletes could
\nmanage were two silver and seven bronze medals.<\/p>\n
Achmad said the organization had been cautious about the
\nteam's prospects, until the athletes turned in such a good
\nshowing in China.<\/p>\n
\"The athletes are very confident that they can win gold for
\nIndonesia at the SEA Games,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The wushu competition will be held at Emilio Aguinaldo College
\nin Manila.<\/p>\n
Achmad said Indonesia's gold medal hopes would rest largely on
\nSandy Liong, Heryanto, Susyana and Howandi.<\/p>\n
\"Those athletes are one level higher than their Southeast
\nAsian rivals,\" Achmad said. \"I just hope the judging is fair
\nduring the competition.\"<\/p>\n
Achmad said he expected Vietnam to maintain the dominance it
\nshowed in 2003. \"Another strong competitor will be the
\nPhilippines.\"<\/p>\n
He hopes the association's athletes will be able to take part
\nin a final training session either with Chinese national athletes
\nfrom Oct. 13 to Oct. 15 or with local athletes from Guangdong
\nprovince before leaving for Manila.<\/p>\n
\"The training, we hope, will give the athletes even more
\nconfidence,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The athletes will fly to Manila directly from China on Nov.
\n25. The SEA Games open on Nov. 27.<\/p>",
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