Athletes fail to join squad

JAKARTA (JP): More than a thousand of Indonesia's 1,777 athletes have not yet come for Southeast Asian (SEA) Games training, the head of national training, Togi Hutagaol, said Thursday.

"We have not yet heard whether the 1,008 athletes will attend training. The 2,805 will be reduced to 840 athletes. Although the final number of athletes for the Indonesian team at the SEA Games will be decided in August, " Togi was quoted by Antara as saying.

Togi said Indonesia would send 300 more athletes than went to the last SEA Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

"The extra athletes are because of the additional events in this year's 19th SEA Games compared to the 29 events in the 18th Games in Thailand."

Togi said that national training starting in June would focus on several competitions and trial matches.

Most of the competitions and trial matches will be held overseas. These include athletics, swimming and billiards in the United States, gymnastics in Bulgaria and Russia, shooting in Italy and Germany, and boxing in Uzbekistan.

Wushu athletes will leave for China on June 12 for a series of trial matches while archers will compete in the Korea Open.

Indonesia has also sent its mountain bike athletes to Japan and track cyclists to Tehran for the Asia VIII championship from June 12 to June 14. (lnt)