13 foreign players to join Kosgoro table tennis meet

JAKARTA (JP): China's world number five Wang Hao and the 1993 Asian champion Kang Hee-chan of South Korea are among 13 international table-tennis players who will participate in the second Kosgoro Cup at the basketball hall of the Senayan sports complex from Aug. 4 to Aug. 7.

Ananda Isman, head of the organizing committee, told reporters yesterday that the tourney, featuring single and doubles for both sexes, will feature ping-pong players from Malaysia, as well as South Korea and China.

Some 300 local players originating from various clubs throughout the country will also join the tournament.

The total prize at stake in the four-day event is Rp 28 million (about US$13,000) which includes a Rp 200,000 ($92) bonus for non-seeded players who manage to overcome the top four seeds.

Ananda also said that young executives from Kosgoro, a business organization established by the country's veterans, plan to upgrade the tournament to the grand-prix level in the near future.

"We have informed the Indonesian Federation of Table Tennis (ITTF) about this," he said.

He declined to predict when this goal will be achieved.

"I can only tell you that next year we will invite more foreign players, including those from Europe," he said.

National coach Leman Effendi was quoted as saying by Antara over the weekend that the 12 players prepared for the upcoming Asian Games in Hiroshima next October have a good chance to snatch some medals during the event.

"We have more chances in the doubles," Leman said, adding that the Kosgoro Cup will be used as part of ITTF's selection process.

He also said that North Korea's withdrawal from the Asiad has eased the challenge for the Indonesian players.

"Of course, China and South Korea are still there," he added.

The coach also said that the Asiad team will take part in the Asian tournament in China on Aug. 22. (hdj)