Central Java courts gold in tennis at National Games
Central Java courts gold in tennis at National Games
SEMARANG (JP): With several national players on its tennis
team, Central Java expects at least three golds in the 15th
National Games (PON) in Surabaya in June but, to the contrary,
the province seems pessimistic about gymnastics as it only
qualified two athletes for the quadrennial event.
The Chairman of the Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti)
Central Java chapter, Soekendro, said Tuesday that it would field
men's tennis players Yusmawan Fahmi, Prihatmanto, Rahmawan and
Prima Simpatiaji, and women's tennis players Wynne Prakusya, Evi
Murtiningsih, Diana Nurfatimah and Nuraini Darissalam.
"We are not bluffing. We hope to win three golds but we must
face a tough challenge from Jakarta, West Java, Yogyakarta and
host East Java tennis players," Soekendro said.
He said his team would warm up in three international
competitions in Jakarta: the Niaga Cigna Life Open from Feb. 8 to
Feb. 13, two series of the Women's Satellite, starting on Feb. 14
and Feb. 20 and two series of Men's Futures, starting on Feb. 21
and Feb. 27.
Separately, gymnastics coach Yulius Widodo said that the
provincial chapter of Indonesian Gymnastics Association (Persani)
would only field men's gymnast Ranu and women's gymnast
Trihastuti.
"We will only send two gymnasts because they are the only
qualifiers," he said, adding that the Central Java gymnasts were
outclassed by their compatriots in East Java, West Java, Jakarta,
Riau, North Sumatra, South Sumatra, West Sumatra and South
Sulawesi.
"Our gymnasts' achievements have grown worse. We used to send
a group of men's gymnasts and women's gymnasts each to PON. Our
gymnasts should be able to accept this bitter reality. Their
achievements are declining while the other provinces' gymnasts
are shining," he said.
He said both athletes only had slight chances in the event.
"They finished in the top 20 in the PON's pre-qualifying round.
Base on this result, their chance for bronze medals is very
slim," he said. (har)