C. Java gears up for 15th PON

C. Java gears up for 15th PON

SEMARANG (JP): After losing the chance to host the 2004
National Games (PON), Central Java will focus on improving its
achievement in this year's National Games in Surabaya, held from
June 19 to June 30.

Chairman of the National Sports Council (KONI) Central Java
chapter Djoko Sudantoko said his province would make every effort
to improve its medal tally at the Games.

Central Java finished fourth in the 1996 PON in Jakarta,
bringing home 32 golds, 42 silvers and 71 bronzes. Host Jakarta
topped the medal tally with an incomparable number of medals: 141
golds, 84 silver and 79 bronzes.

"Central Java is gearing up to haul as many gold medals as
possible. At the very least we aim to improve on our position
from fourth in 1996," he said on Saturday.

Capital of South Sumatra Palembang beat the Central Java
capital of Semarang by winning 33 of 61 votes in the election
during the council's plenary meeting on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16.
Semarang only earned 23 votes.

President Abdurrahman Wahid later chose Palembang to host the
quadrennial event, making it the first city outside of Java to
stage the Games in the past 30 years.

Djoko said the sports officials accepted the President's
decision. "We accept the decision although it represents a
failure for us. The President's decision must be the best one."

Separately, deputy head of the city council, M. Thoyfoer,
shared Djoko's view. He expressed hope that the failure to host
PON would not discourage local athletes from doing their best at
the event.

"I hope this failure will not break the athletes' spirit to
give their best in the 15th PON," he told The Jakarta Post.

He called on sports officials to maintain their athletes'
fighting spirit so they could fulfill the province's target in
the multisports event. (har)