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)