Cycling body renews targets
Cycling body renews targets
JAKARTA (JP): Gold medals at Asian-level competitions,
Southeast Asian Games victory and a uniform nationwide training
program are the highlights of the Indonesian Cycling
Association's program for the next four years.
At its national congress in Jimbaran, Bali, that concluded on
Sunday, the association also elected 42-year-old businessman
Harry Sapto Supoyo, the incumbent chairman, to lead its charges.
An official of the association, Sofyan Ruzian, told The
Jakarta Post yesterday that the congress found it necessary to
set up a national training system, which will provide a firmer
infrastructure for the goals of winning Asian gold medals and
maintaining supremacy in the SEA Games.
Until recently, the association's provincial chapters
developed training programs for their own cyclists.
Ruzian said that Indonesia's gold-medal-winning bid in Asian
level competitions will be focused on some sprint and pursuit
events at which its cyclists particularly excel.
Indonesia ruled the 1991 SEA Games' cycling, suffered a
setback two years later, and bounced back to top the table last
year in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
In the world cycling championships in Manila in May last year,
top national female rider Nurhayati finished second in the 40-
kilometer point race behind a Chinese rival. Nurhayati also took
a bronze in the 500m individual time trial behind two Japanese
cyclists.
Ruzian quoted re-elected chairman Harry as saying that a lack
of funds is the association's main problem. From 1991 to 1996,
the association has spent a total of Rp 4.4 billion (US$1.9
million), mostly on preparations for various events.
The expenditures included the hiring of an Australian coach
and the three-month training program in Australia prior to the
Chiang Mai SEA Games.
Ruzian said that Harry, president commissioner of a private
bank, Bank Utama, and the National Sports Council have thus far
been the major financial sponsors of the association's
activities.
"But the money won't be enough if the association is to
finance a long-term, uninterrupted training program for all its
provincial cyclists," Ruzian said. The congress has not yet set a
new budget, according to Ruzian.
Another result of the congress, Ruzian said, was the deletion
of the word "amateur" from its statute in accordance with UCI,
the world cycling body's, policy.
Ruzian added the association plans to revive the Tour de
Indonesia in October. The tour will start from Jakarta and end in
Bali. The tour last took place in 1991. (arf)