Central Java top of the lot in tae kwon do
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Central Java finished atop the medal standings for a second year in a row at the 5th LG National Tae kwon don championship, narrowly beating West Java.
The winner garnered five golds three silvers and one bronze, with West Java taking home four golds, four silvers and two bronzes.
Jakarta was third with four golds, two silvers and two bronzes.
On the final day of the championship, finweight female fighter Fransisca Valentina emerged the hero of Central Java as she contributed last gold for her province by beating Papua's Meilda Igna 10-1.
"We are glad we are able to retain the championship," Central Java's coach Bambang Widjanarko said.
"I am deeply grateful to my athletes, who competed with great spirit to win."
Central Java had the chance to win another gold, but Sandy Yanuar in the men's finweight class lost 3-15 to Papua's Pares D. Laratmas in the final.
West Java, which took over the lead on the second day of the championship with a run of three golds, failed to win one gold on Wednesday. Fighter Emeraldi Margaret lost 0-1 to Jakarta's Ertina Nopiyanti in the women's welterweight class.
The other gold on the final day was collected by Jakarta's Safrizal Tanjung in the men's featherweight class with a 9-6 defeat of East Java's Agung Yulianto.
Fransisca, who will turn 18 on March 23, was named the best female athlete, while Pares was selected as the best male.
"I am very happy to win gold and best athlete at the championship," Fransisca said.
Pares was overjoyed to win after nine shutouts.
"It means a lot to me today as I won gold and the best male athlete honor."
He expected his victory would lead the Indonesian Tae kwon do Association (PB TI) to call him up to the national training program for the 2005 Southeast Asia (SEA) Games.
* North Sumatra and Maluku each won two bronze medals; West Kalimantan, West Sumatra, North Sulawesi and Riau each took a bronze.Final Medal Standings
1. Central Java 5 3 1
2. West Java 4 4 2
3. DKI Jakarta 4 2 2
4. Papua 1 1 1
5. NTT 1 0 3
6. Lampung 1 0 0
7. Yogyakarta 0 3 2
8. E. Kalimantan 0 1 4
9. East Java 0 1 3
10.South Sumatra 0 1 3
11. Banten 0 0 3