Bowling pins Games hopes on Canadian
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesian bowling has resigned itself to lag behind Malaysia and Philippines, but now the country's sport governing body, PBI, nurtures high hopes about its medal prospect at the next Southeast Asian Games with Canadian coach Sid Allen expected to arrive in September.
"Our target is to improve our medal tally in the SEA Games this year," Aswin Limansantoso, a PBI official in charge of preparing the team, said here on Friday.
Manila will host the SEA Games, the biennial sporting showcase among Southeast Asian nations, in December.
"Sid Allen is a top coach from Canada, who has successfully built Malaysia bowling to the present level," he said.
PBI is currently grooming a list of bowlers, three of whom -- Ryan Leonard Lalisang in the men's division, and Putty Insavilla Armein and Happy Soediyono in the women's division -- compete regularly at Asian levels.
"They could challenge bowlers from Malaysia and the Philippines, although our chances of winning gold is slimmer than that of Malaysian and the host bowlers," Aswin said.
Aswin admitted that bowling in Indonesia has not been developed, and it struggled against Malaysia, which has produced women's world champion Shalin Zulkifli, and the Philippines with their prolific talented bowlers.
"We have a number of bowling centers, but they are used for recreational sport rather than for competitive games," he said.
Aswin said Allen was to have been in Indonesia as early as this month but unfortunately he had to undergo dental surgery. He is expected to arrive in September.
"But he has already drawn up a program for the team. The program will be implemented by local coaches while we wait his arrival in September," he said.
Indonesia won two bronzes in the 1999 SEA Games and dropped to only one bronze in the 2001 SEA Games. Bowling was not featured in the 2003 SEA Games.
"With his program Allen said that the team would vie for more than three medals in the next SEA Games," Aswin said.
Allen is known as the master of the lanes and at such, according to Aswin, his services are expected to instill confidence among Indonesian bowlers.
"Players should be able to adapt quickly to different types of lanes. Allen has no competitors in this respect," he said.
Indonesian bowlers for the Manila trip are undergoing their workouts at the Jaya Ancol Bowl Center and the Millenium Bowl Alley in Plaza Senayan, Central Jakarta.
In September to mid November, the training program will reach its peak with the bowlers expected to play up to 75 games.
They will try out in the Indonesia Open, Malaysia Open and Singapore Open over August to shape up their skills.
Coach Alexander W. Wenas urged the athletes to train seriously with the hope that they would reach their peak in Manila.
"Previously, we had a training session in Jaya Ancol only, but starting from July 20, the training will also be held at the Millenium," he said.
Meanwhile, bowler Putty was confident about her Manila bid and said that Allen's arrival would enhance her chances of winning a gold medal.
"Well, I have to admit that I am, at times, slow at adjusting to lanes, and I hope Allen will give it a change. I have confidence," she said.
The athletes' progress will be assessed during the next three events ahead of SEA Games.
"I hope I can win the Indonesia Open like I did last year," said Putty, a member of the team that participated in the 1999 and 2001 games.
Indonesian bowlers for the SEA Games: Ryan Lalisang, Lie Joe Tjam, David Sitorus, Rudy Goenawan, Rudianto 'Rudy King', Oscar in the men's division; and Happy Soediyono, Putty Insavilla Armein, Lily Go, Tan Bie Ling, Lani Sardadi, Tannya Roumimper in the women's division.