12 karatekas selected for Asian Games

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Karate-do Federation (Forki) is grooming 12 young karatekas to take part in the Asian Games in Bangkok this December.

Boy Crain, the federation's technical director, said Sunday the 12 karatekas were chosen following their good performance at the 19th SEA Games here in October and the Asia-Pacific amateur karate championships in Macau.

"The team for the Asian Games will be decided after the world karate championships in Brazil in October," Boy said.

Boy said that although Forki had prepared the 12 karatekas, there was a possibility that athletes competing in the Brazilian meet would be included on the team for the Asian Games.

"Of course this depends on their performance at the world championships. We will only include karateists who perform well in Brazil," Boy said as quoted by the daily Kompas.

As for karatekas at the world championships, Boy said they would be chosen following the Army Chief Trophy (Piala KASAD) competition here in March.

"The winners of the Piala KASAD will have to undergo training first before competing at the world championships," Boy said.

Boy declined to name the 12 karatekas, but a source at the Indonesian Sports Council said the 12 were Abdul Kadir, Aswan Ali, Umar Syarif, Hasan Basri, Isfan Tanjung, Arif Taufan and Novelius Joko for the men, and Omita Ompi, Nurossy Nurosjati, Nilawati Daud, Christine Gani and Sandri Aryani for the women.

Boy said the karatekas would not compete in all events at the Asian Games. (lnt)