Eight groomed for world junior meet

Eight groomed for world junior meet

JAKARTA (JP): Eight Indonesian athletes are currently being
prepared for the World Junior Track and Field Championships in
Sydney, scheduled for Aug. 25 to 30.

Five female athletes and three male athletes are in training.

The five are Irene Yusuf (for 100m and 200m), Nyoman Rai (long
jump, triple jump), Tri Asih Handayani (1500m, 3000m and 5000m),
Rumini Sudragni (3000m, 5000m), Ruwiyati (3000m, 5000m).

The three male athletes are Novian Suhandri (400m), Eddy
Junaedi (5000m) and Nunung Jayadi (pole vault).

Coach Peter Noya told The Jakarta Post yesterday that of the
eight, only Handayani has qualified for the championships.

Handayani's best time of 35:45.07 she produced at the 11th
Asian Track and Field Championships here last year qualifies her
for the nomination, Noya said.

As for the other athletes, they must make it before Aug. 11,
otherwise they will not be sent to Sydney. Three regional
championships in May and June are prime opportunities for them to
prove that they deserve the qualification for the world meet.

The regional championships are Indonesia Open Junior Track and
Field Championships (Jakarta, June 5 to 7), Malaysia Open Junior
Track and Field Championships (Kuala Lumpur, scheduled for late
May) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' Student
Track and Field Championships (Jakarta, June 15 to 17).

Noya added that of the eight, Ruwiyati is the oldest. She is
now going from 18 to 19. The age limit for "junior" athletes is
20.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Track and Field Association (PASI)
secretary-general Barmawi Chaidir told The Post yesterday that
thus far no world-class athletes have confirmed their
participation in the second Bob Hasan Track and Field
Invitational Meet scheduled here on May 4.

The meet, expected to prelude an envisaged Asian track and
field Grand Prix, has invited four world champions, including
American sprinter Dennis Mitchell and disc thrower world champion
Lars Riddle.

"Yesterday I talked to Mr. Maurice R. Nicholas (secretary and
treasurer of the Asian Amateur Athletics Association) by phone.
He told me he is still waiting for their confirmation," Chaidir
said.

Chaidir said that PASI chairman Mohammad (Bob) Hasan had
sought help from the International Amateur Athletics Federation
to bring in some world-class athletes from Europe and America.
(arf)