Ambitious Edi dreams of hitting world mark

Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Palembang

Edi Zakaria, one of Indonesia's two athletics competitors at the Athens Olympics, set a new National Games record in the 110- meter hurdles here but the 20-year-old runner has set himself even higher target on the world stage.

Edi said his sights were set on breaking not the Games record, or the national record but the world record time.

"At the SEA Games, I will attempt to be the Asian champion, and later on I will try to make my dream come true by breaking the world record," he told The Jakarta Post.

Next year's Southeast Asian Games will take place in the Philippines.

"I think it's not a distant dream for me. The current world record holder is an Asian," Edi said.

China's Liu Xiang currently holds the world record in the men's 110-meter hurdles after crossing the finish line in only 12.91 seconds at the Olympic Games last month.

Liu equaled the world mark set by U.S. Colin Jackson in 1993.

Their marks being compared, one might doubt Edi's seriousness and ability to pursue his dream.

Edi's best mark to date is the 14.11 seconds he set up during the preliminary round in Athens. It beat new national record from 14.29 seconds that had stood for 17 years.

However, despite breaking the Indonesian best, Edi placed last and failed to qualify for the next stage of the Olympics.

In Palembang, He experienced a dip, needing 14.16 seconds in his gold haul for the East Java from the track and field.

Although his time bettered the national Games record of 14.54 seconds set by Rudi Wicaksono in 2000, it still below his best.

But Edi had an excuse for his somewhat uninspiring run -- he had only four days to prepare for the Games.

"If I had more time to practice, I would probably have been able to break my own record," Edi said.

Despite his specialty, Edi was tipped as a likely winner in the 400-meter sprint but he refrained from joining the competition, saying he was unfit.

"I'm only taking part in the hurdles event in this PON. I don't want to force myself into chasing medals in the 400 meters because I'm not in good condition after returning from Athens in August," he said.

Given his performance in Athens, his coach Kwin Atmoko Yuwono looked forward, saying Edi had a good chance to win a gold medal at the 2005 SEA Games.

Edi only won a bronze with a time of 14.29 seconds in last year's edition of the event.

"I think it's possible for Edi to improve his personal best time since he's only 20 years old. I think he can win a gold medal with his current personal best," Kwin said.

Born on Nov. 18, 1983 in Kediri, a small town in East Java, Edi has practiced track and field since he was in elementary school. He began to develop his specialty in the 110-meter hurdles after he joined a student athletic club in his hometown in Kediri while at junior high school.

Edi called on the national track and field association to give him as many opportunities as possible to participate in international events.

"Indonesian athletes don't get as many chances to compete in international events as many athletes from other countries," he said.

"When I was in Athens for the Olympic Games, I saw many other foreign athletes exercising before the race. And I believe we have equal skills and similar techniques.

"It's just that I am not as experienced as they are," Edi said. Athletes from neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Thailand had also begun to improve, he said.

"Based on that experience, I have confidence I can make my dream come true. What I need now is to hone my skills as often as possible at the international level and run my way to the top," he said.