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)