Ballo survives qualifying round

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian boxers Bara Gommies and Stevie Binalay failed to qualify for the 2000 Olympic Games after they lost their second bouts in the Olympic Games third qualifying round in Bangkok on Monday.

Bara, competing in the welterweight division, was knocked out by Filipino Calido Reynaldo, while Stevie, fighting as a light welterweight, lost 5-12 to K. Sanjit of India.

Indonesian assistant team manager Didiet Soedijoto said that Ballo, a flyweight division competitor, earned a points victory of 12-2 over Turkmenistan's Shimonov.

Didiet was quoted by Antara as saying that Ballo's chances of earning an Olympic berth were wide open because only 15 boxers were fighting in the same weight division as him.

Boxing coach Agus Titaley of Maluku expressed optimism that Bara could win gold for his province of Maluku in the 15th National Games (PON) in Surabaya in June. (ivy)