Aprilia promises gold in judo at SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's best woman judoist Aprilia Marzuki has pledged to win a gold medal in the under 66 kilogram class at the 19th SEA Games.

"At least one gold in the under 66 kilogram class and, if permitted, I also want to compete in the open class," Aprilia said on Saturday during practice at the Senayan Main Stadium.

Aprilia from South Sumatra captured two golds in the 18th SEA Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The two golds came from the 61kg to 66kg class and open division.

During practice on Saturday, Aprilia showed a lot of progress following her training in Taiwan and South Korea.

Aprilia was nominated as one of the Games athletes to read the oath with Omita Ompi, a karateist.

A spokesperson for the judo training committee, Pujawati, said that Aprilia's ambition echoed that of all other judoists who would be fighting for golds at the Games.

In the Chiang Mai Games, Indonesia grabbed nine gold medals.

Pujawati said that Indonesia would be missing two top judoists, M. Yudie and Ni Made Suyudani.

"Yudie is involved in a course at the police department while Suyudani has given birth."

Yudie will be replaced by I Wayan Sukbekto and Suyudani will be replaced by Lita Theresia.

"The absence of Yudie and Suyudani does not effect national training," Pujawati said.

Canoeing and rowing teams from Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Singapore are currently practicing at Jatiluhur Dam, West Java, for the Games' qualifying rounds which are scheduled to start on Oct. 10.

A spokesperson for the rowing training committee, Soetono Goenadi, said in Jatiluhur yesterday: "We have given all the teams the freedom to use the dam and practice intensively."

The canoeing qualifying round on Oct. 10 will start with the 500-meter kayak 1 race. The final round will be held on Oct. 12, one day after the Games' opening ceremony on Oct. 11.

Goenadi added that giving athletes the freedom to practice at Jatiluhur was a goodwill gesture that the host nation wants fair play in competitions.

"We want to be fair. During the Chiang May Games, the Indonesian rowing team was only allowed to practice three days before the competition," Goenadi said.

The foreign rowing athletes are all accommodated at hotels outside Jatiluhur in Bekasi, Karawang and Cikampek. (lnt)