Dearth of new records on track and field opening day
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Palembang
Olympian Edi Zakaria set a new National Games (PON) record of 14.16 seconds in the men's 110-meter hurdles to earn East Java a gold medal on the opening day of the track and field competition at Sriwijaya Stadium here on Monday.
Zulkarnain Purba of North Sumatra won silver with a time of 14.46 seconds and Rusli of East Java took the bronze in a time of 14.49 seconds.
The old PON mark of 14.54 seconds was set by Jakarta's Rudi Wicaksono during the 15th PON in Surabaya in 2000.
However, Edi fell short of the national record of 14.11 seconds, which he set at the recently concluded 2004 Athens Olympics.
The opening day of the track and field competition saw seven gold medals on offer. East Java won two, while East Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, Jakarta, Papua and Riau won one each.
West Java, which won the most gold medals at the last PON, settled for one silver and a bronze on the day.
East Java's other track and field gold was won by Darwati, who shrugged off a challenge from national record holder Tersiana Ruwirohi of East Nusa Tenggara in the women's 20,000-meter racewalk.
Darwati clocked a personal best of 1:42:17. Tersiana, who set the national record of 1:40:25 last year, finished second with a time of 1:47:40, followed by Afiayanti of West Java in 1:50:26.
Edi said a lack of practice prevented him from improving on his national mark.
"I only had four days to practice after Athens. I did not have enough time to train for these Games. If I had practiced more, I would probably have been able to break my own record," Edi told The Jakarta Post after the race.
His coach Kwin Atmoko Yuwono looked ahead, saying Edi had the chance to win a gold medal at the 2005 South East Asian Games (SEA Games) in the Philippines.
"I think it's possible for Edi to improve his personal best time since he's only 20 years old. I personally think he can win a gold medal with his current personal best time," Kwin said.
At the SEA Games in Vietnam last year, Edi won bronze with a time of 14.29 seconds.
Ni Putu Desi Margawati earned host South Sumatra a gold in the women's pole vault. She vaulted a height of 3.50 meters, 10 centimeters higher than Sundari of West Kalimantan and 20 centimeters better than Alia Basalamah of Jakarta.
Ni Putu Desi, who holds the national record of 4.10 meters and the PON record of 3.65 meters, said she was not focusing on breaking records at the Games.
"The most important thing is that I could win a gold medal for South Sumatra, that's all. I am saving my energy at this PON because I have to participate in three events -- pole vault, triple jump and long jump," she said.
Jauhari Johan won the men's 10,000 meters in a time of 31 minutes 24.87 seconds, well off the national record of 29 minutes 39.18 seconds set by Subeno in 1990.
Jauhari, who won the Jakarta 10-K last June, also failed to break the PON record of 30:20.70 set by Eduardus Nabunome of East Nusa Tenggara.
West Java's I Gede Karangasem finished second in the 10,000 meters with a time of 31:24.92 seconds, with Agus Prayogo of Central Java close behind with 31:29.83 seconds.
Ponsianus Kahol of Papua won gold in the men's javelin with a throw of 67.76 meters.
Kristian Kaize added a silver to Papua's collection with a throw of 63.52 meters, while Zaenuddin Umar of North Maluku grabbed the bronze with 57.54 meters.
Mohamad Junaedi of Jakarta won the men's triple jump gold with a leap of 15.69 meters. Sugeng Jatmiko of East Java came in second with 15.46 meters, and West Java's Doni Susanto finished third with a jump of 14.94 meters.
In the men's 20,000-meter racewalk, Kristian L. Tobing grabbed a gold medal for Riau with a time of 1:35:20, followed by Central Java's Sutrisno in 1:36:42 and East Java's Suparman at 1:37:02.