Asian top stars to shine at Asian meet
Asian top stars to shine at Asian meet
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Amateur Athletics Association
(PASI)'s worries about a lack of prestige at the 13th Asian Track
and Field Championships at Senayan Madya Stadium may prove to be
misplaced.
Sri Lankan women's sprinter and 2000 Olympic Games medal
hopeful Susanthika Jayasinghe has confirmed she will participate
in the meet, which begins on Monday.
PASI secretary-general Tigor Tanjung said during a media
conference on Friday: "Jayasinghe has confirmed that she will
compete at the event."
Running in the women's 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, Jayasinghe
will be a tough competitor for top Indonesian sprinter Irene
Truitje Joseph. The two sprinters, however, seemingly have small
ambitions at the Olympics.
Jayasinghe ran the 100m in 11.39 seconds in June to qualify
for the Olympics. However, she appeared less than confident of
her chances of shining on the world stage despite Sri Lanka's
desire to win an Olympic medal after 52 years of waiting.
Irene has been realistic about her goals at the Olympics,
saying she has little chance of coming home with a medal. She
said earlier that at 18, she must take the Asian crown first
before shining on the world stage.
Tigor said Indonesian women's long-distance runner Supriati
Sutono had a good chance of qualifying for the Olympics during
the Asian meet.
Women's triple jumper Nyoman Rae Trisandiana had to withdraw
from the event due to injury, while men's pole vaulter Nunung
Jayadi is seen as having a small chance of qualifying for the
Olympics.
Supriati, who has to clock a time of less than 15:55.00 in the
5,000m and 33:20.00 in the 10,000m to qualify for the Olympics,
will face a tough challenge from Chinese runners.
She ran a 15:54.45 in the 5,000m at the 1998 Asian Games, but
the International Olympics Committee only counts times recorded
from Jan. 1, 1999, to Sept. 11, 2000, for Olympic qualifying.
China is sending Wu Qing-dong in the 5,000m and Zhou Chun-xiu
in the 5,000m and 10,000m to the Asian meet. Both runners have
qualified for the Olympics.
The Asian Continental record holder in the men's shot put,
Sergey Rubstov of Kazakhstan, is listed among the 13 competitors
his country is sending to the event. He will try to surpass the
Olympic qualifying distance of 19.30m, or 1.11m further than his
personal best.
Thailand's Trecia Roberts, the silver medalist at the 1999
Southeast Asian (SEA) in the 100m, will compete in the 100m
hurdles and the 4x100m relay.
Her teammate Reanchai Srivahong, also an Olympics qualifier,
will run in the men's 100m, providing competition for Indonesian
sprinters Erwin Heru Susanto, John Murray and Sukari.
Srivahong clocked a personal best of 10.26 seconds in the 100m
at the 1999 SEA Games to earn the gold medal and an Olympics
berth.
Erwin and John have showed a marked improvement in form and
lowered their personal best times to 10.16 and 10.23 respectively
at the 2000 National Games (PON) in Surabaya in June.
Indonesia and Thailand will continue their rivalry in the
men's 4x100m relay.
The Asian meet, which will be attended by 495 athletes and 116
coaches from 36 countries, will be opened by the chairman of the
National Sports Council, Wismoyo Arismunandar. (ivy)