Fencers set to try new camp in Guangzhou

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After their abrupt return on Saturday from overseas training in Guangzhou, 21 national fencers are preparing to move to a new school in the Chinese city next week.

The fencers, in training for the 23rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in November, were unhappy with the coaching at their designated institution.

"We will move them from Wei Lun Sport School to a better sport school, Er Sa Dau, after one week's relaxation here," Indonesian Fencing Association (IKASI) head of development affairs Eman Sumusi said on Tuesday.

"At the new school, three Chinese coaches have been assigned to train them and they have promised to do better ..."

The nine men and 12 women left for Guangzhou on Aug. 1 for a four-month training program, but returned at the weekend. They complained they made little progress, with their coaches more focused on training local athletes for the Chinese national games in September.

The athletes claimed they lacked sparring partners and the allocation of practice facilities.

"I went to Guangzhou on September 20 and we concluded that we should return home," Eman said.

Guangzhou, the top training center for Chinese athletes, was also chosen as the overseas training location for national athletes in five other sports: wushu, wrestling, archery, shooting and table tennis.

Eman said the Guangzhou administration, whose officials visited Jakarta earlier this year to promote the city's sports facilities, remained committed to training Indonesian athletes.

"I believe that they will keep their word by providing good coaches and sparring partners for our athletes to improve. Their prestigious national games is over, therefore I am quite confident that they will fulfill their promise."

Despite the disruption in training, Eman was confident national fencers would bring back at least two golds in the men's and women's team epee events at the SEA Games.

National fencers are competing in all 12 fencing events -- foil, saber, epee -- at the Pasig City Sports Center in Metro Manila.

Eman said they also had a chance for gold in the foil class, now operating under new timing and scoring since August 2004.

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