Asiad veteran boxers to compete at SEAG
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)