Fewer shooters on Central Java team

SEMARANG (JP): The Central Java chapter of the Indonesian Target Shooting and Hunting Association (Perbakin) will reduce the number of women shooters it will send to the 15th National Games (PON) in Surabaya, in June.

Coach Sylvia Gani said on Saturday PON organizers had decided each chapter could send a maximum of three shooters to compete in each discipline at the quadrennial event, which will take place from June 19 to June 30.

"We currently have four air rifle match shooters and five air rifle hunting shooters. We'll only pick the best three of the nine shooters being trained for the quadrennial event," she said.

The air rifle match shooters are Shila Prasasti, Susetya Agustina, Tina Agustin and Wulandari, while the air rifle hunting athletes are Haryati, Nuraini, Retno Wulan, Cicilia Lastikawati and Theodore Dasantari.

Sylvia said the province was targeting three golds in the event. But the shooters will face a tough challenge from East Java, West Java and Jakarta, she added.

Separately, the chairman of the Central Java chapter of the Indonesian Pencak Silat Association, Sujadi, hoped his athletes could win five golds at PON.

Central Java will send Indriyatnawati, Florensia, Kasihatun and Ariani to compete in the women's division, and Imam Wibisono, Yulisa KP, Haris Nugroho, Roni Saifullah and Sigit Infantoro to compete in the men's division at PON.

Sujadi said his athletes' toughest competition would come from Jakarta, host East Java and Yogyakarta.

Meanwhile, the Central Java chapter of the Indonesian Aerosport Federation expects three gold medals at PON.

Aerosport coach Boji Subari said he was training three athletes -- Herry (outdoor hand-launch glider and aerobatic control line), Jono (FIA) and Puji (outdoor hand-launch glider) -- for PON.

Boji expects stiff opposition from Jakarta and East Java because both provinces have modern training facilities. He also said the two provinces often staged national championships to allow their athletes to test their skills and technical abilities.

Paragliding coach Komar Husen said Central Java would send Agus Budiarso and Yetiningsih to compete in the men's and women's events at PON, respectively.

Also, the chairman of the Central Java sports council, Djoko Sudantoko, expressed hope his athletes could raise their optimism and motivation ahead of PON.

"There is only one word: win," he said. "But I hope they won't be disappointed should they lose. The athletes should start to practice hard and boost their motivation to win. If we lose, we have to acknowledge that our opponents played better." (har)