Construction work hampers shooting training program

Construction work hampers shooting training program

JAKARTA (JP): The SEA Games shooting team has stopped training
at the Senayan range because the athletes village underground
parking lot is being built next to it.

Anthony Sunarjo, the secretary-general of the Indonesian
Shooting and Hunting Association, said that part of the range
would have to be torn down during construction of the car park.
Construction would also disrupt the concentration of those
training at the range.

The association is sending the team to train at the Armed
Forces' range in Cilodong, near Bogor, and at other venues which
are below international standard.

"It really disturbs our training program. Two months (for
construction) is a long time. If we want to stop Thailand's
domination, our athletes must get used to the venue," Anthony
said.

After the parking lot has been built, the 40-bay 50-meter
range will be rebuilt. The range, which is used for small-bore
triple, small-bore rifle and free pistol, will be the 19th SEA
Games shooting venue.

The parking lot is expected to be completed by the end of May.

The Games consortium, chaired by President Soeharto's son
Bambang Trihatmodjo, is building an athletes village to
accommodate about 5,000 athletes during the Games. One of the
village's 40-story buildings will contain a five-star hotel after
the Games.

Anthony said the parking lot could be finished on time. "If it
takes more time, training would not go smoothly."

"The reinstallation of equipment, if it's inaccurate, can
disturb training. I hope we won't have problems with
reinstallation," he said.

The International Shooting Federation has checked the venue
twice and stated that it meets international standards.

China tour

The Games team shooting director Sita Razni said 12 athletes
would train for two months in Beijing and Shanghai.

"We'll send eight running-target male and female athletes and
four-double trap female shooters," she said.

"We chose to go to China because the Asian and world champions
are from that country," she added.

Two Chinese coaches, Hao Yin and Li Wei Kuang, and a local
coach will accompany the athletes.

Rita said the association would select its Games main squad
soon.

"From April 19 to April 26, we'll send air-rifle and air-
pistol athletes to the Minister of Defense and Security Cup.
Hopefully we can decide the main squad from the Cup's results,"
she said.

Rivals

Games team training director Djoko Pramono told Antara that
Indonesia had no new information on Thailand's squad.

"It really worries us because we can't observe our rival's
strength. We can't even study their strength in some sports,
which supposedly belong to us," he said.

"Although I have been informed about other countries'
strengths from our embassies, frankly I'm still worried that our
domination in some sports, like wrestling and fencing, can be
broken," he said.

Djoko urged sports organizations to send only their second
string squads to open tournaments so that the Games team's
athletes could not be observed.

"If we send our main squad to an open tournament, which is
usually participated in by ASEAN countries, our strength will be
studied," he said.

The Indonesian Amateur Athletics Association will send 11
athletes to Australia on April 10 for the Canberra marathon, and
to Bangkok for the Thailand Open from April 22 to April 24.

Ethel Hudson, Eduardus Nabunome and Suyono will compete in the
Canberra marathon, while other eight athletes will compete at the
Thailand Open," said Tigor Tanjung, the Games team athletics
director.

The eight athletes to compete in Bangkok are Abdul Manan, Aria
Yumaiwa, Cakra Hadi Mulya, Engelberth Waiyai, Ismail Sroyer, Ong
Kok Him, Herman Balagaise and Rumini. (yan)