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.
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