Desi's medal hopes in Asian Games look promising
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Pole vaulter Ni Putu Desi Margasari's prospects of winning a medal in the Asian Games looked more promising after she won a bronze medal at the Asian Athletics Championship currently under way in Colombo, Sri Lanka, a top official said.
Desi scored a mark of 4.10 meters on the weekend to finish third behind eventual winner Gao Shuying of China and Masumi Ono of Japan.
"I believe Desi will be able to repeat her Colombo performance at the Asian Games; 4.10 meters is competitive enough for her to contend the bronze," secretary-general of the Indonesian Amateur Athletics Association (PASI) Tigor Tanjung told The Jakarta Post.
Tigor said that Desi's performance at the Asian meet also proved that she warranted her place in the Indonesian sporting delegation for the Asian Games, which will be held in Busan, South Korea, from Sept. 29 through Oct. 14.
He said that Desi's status at the training center was reinstated on Aug. 6, thanks to her winning run at the National Athletics Championship, in which she managed to improve on her own mark.
Desi was initially removed from the training program in July following a series of dismal runs during tryouts, which indicated that she would be unable to live up to the required mark set by the National Sports Council (KONI).
But since then she has made a comeback and set a national record of 4.05 meters at the Jakarta meet early this month before improving the record to 4.10 meters in Colombo.
"Desi now is full of confidence. She must concentrate on training over the next month and beware of possible injury," said Tigor, who accompanied the three-strong Indonesian track and field team to Colombo.
The other two were Tertiana Triwurohi in the women's 20 kilometers walk and Ahmad Sakeh in the men's 200 meters. Tertiana only managed fourth place while Sakeh ran short of reaching the final stage.
PASI has only two hopefuls for the Busan trip. The other is Yurita Ariani in the hammer throw.
Athletics is one of 20 sports KONI, which is grooming around 100 athletes, plans to take part in at Busan.