Asiad veteran boxers to compete at SEAG

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will pin its hopes of winning gold medals in boxing at the upcoming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on its Asian Games veterans, an official said on Tuesday.

Deputy secretary-general of the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association (Pertina) Didiet Soedijoto said five of the six pugilists who donned the national colors at the Asiad in Bangkok last December would resume intensive training for the SEA Games later this month.

This year's SEA Games will be held in Brunei Darussalam in August.

Didiet said a plenary meeting presided over by Pertina chairman Sang Nyoman Suwisma on Friday is expected to formally name light flyweight Damianus Jordan, flyweight Hermensen Ballo, bantamweight Martin Sihombing, light welterweight Wellem Papilaya and welterweight Bara Gomies for the SEA Games team.

Middleweight Albert Papilaya, who lost in the quarterfinals at the Asian Games, has announced his retirement.

Didiet said the country's best light flyweight boxer La Paene Masara and another bantamweight specialist Dufri Masihor would be added to the team. La Paene was dropped from the Asiad-bound squad due to indiscipline.

"They are still the boxers we can rely on at the SEA Games. We badly need them if we wish to win the most gold medals on offer," Didiet said.

Hermensen and Wellem won silver in their respective divisions in Bangkok.

Didiet said Pertina was afraid that the boxers would lack a recovery period and fail to regain their top form for the first of three Olympic Games qualifying tournaments which will take place just two months after the SEA Games.

"We will discuss further the best training methods that will ensure the boxers can reach their top form at the SEA Games as well as in the Olympics qualifiers," Didiet said.

The meeting will also involve Pertina's team of advisors Imron ZS, HMJ Pattiasina, Syamsul Anwar and Boy Bolang.

The first Olympics qualifier will be held from Oct. 3 to Oct. 10 in Tashkent, the second from Jan. 25 to Feb. 1, 2000 in Seoul and the last one from June 1 to June 7, 2000 in Bangkok.

La Paene reached the quarterfinals at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Didiet also said Pertina had yet to decide whether to re-sign Cuban coach Julio Lee Hechavarria, whose contract expired last December.

Hechavarria missed the target of winning one Asian Games gold medal at the Asian Games. (yan)