Eleven countries attend judo c'ship

Eleven countries attend judo c'ship

JAKARTA (JP): Eleven countries are expected to take part in an international judo championship which will be held in Medan, North Sumatra from March 16 to March 19, an official announced yesterday.

Maj. Gen. MB Hutagalung, the executive director of the Indonesian Judo Association (PJSI), told reporters here that the event, officially called the Wismoyo Cup judo championship, is expected to see judoists from Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand in addition to hosts Indonesia.

"Three of the 10 invited countries, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, have confirmed their participation in the four-day event," he said.

The championship will be organized by the North Sumatra regional board of the PJSI and sponsored by businessman Jhonny Pardede."

Hutagalung said that the tournament will also serve as valuable practice for Indonesian judoists being groomed for the forthcoming SEA Games and Asian Games.

"We also expect provincial judo associations to send their athletes to take part in the tournament in order to enrich their experience," he said.

Hutagalung said that Indonesia's purpose of holding the championship is to have a more active role as a member of the International Judo Federation (IJF).

"We really hope that the Wismoyo Cup championship will be included in the international agenda of the IJF," he said.

Meanwhile, PJSI will send judoists to take part in several tournaments in Japan, South Korea and Europe in a bid to achieve the credit points that will make them eligible for this year's Olympics in Atlanta.

Hutagalung said the National Sports Council (KONI) has ordered PJSI to prepare six judoists to be sent to the Olympic Games.

"Up to now, we have yet to decide who will be sent to the Olympics Games because the association has yet to determine which weight divisions we will take part in," he said.

"One of our judoists Krisna Bayu is well on his way to achieving the credit points," he added. Krisna grabbed three gold medals in last month's 18th SEA Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand. (05)