Games athletes ready for overseas trials
Games athletes ready for overseas trials
JAKARTA (JP): SEA Games table tennis competitors are ready to
test their skills at the Malaysian Table Tennis Open tournament
in Ipoh from Aug. 20 to Aug. 24, an official said Thursday.
Indonesian Table Tennis Association secretary-general Johnny
Waworuntu said that Indonesian athletes were competing in
overseas competitions as part of their training for the 19th SEA
Games here in October.
Leading table tennis players from South Korea, Japan, Hong
Kong, Germany, Taiwan, Sweden, Hungary and Indonesia will play in
the Malaysian Open.
After competing in Ipoh, Indonesia's table tennis players will
proceed to China on Aug. 25 for a month-long training stint.
"The Ipoh event will a good venue for deciding which
Indonesian players perform best over their Southeast Asian
rivals," Johnny said.
"After participating in several championships at home, the
players now have a chance to test their skills against top
foreign players," he said.
Among the players going on the overseas stints are Hariyudo, M
Al Arkam, Dedy Da Costa, Isman Haryanto, M Zaenudin, Irsan
Susanto, Rosy Pratiwi Dipoyanti, Putri Hasibuan, Yulianti and
Mulatsih.
A strict selection process for the SEA Games soccer team is
underway at the All Indonesia Football Federation.
Federation coach Henk Wullens said he had called in 32
footballers to train for the biennial event.
He denied allegations Thursday that he would not select
players fairly.
"I guarantee that all the players selected are qualified for
the SEA Games and that they will be selected without considering
which clubs they come from," he said.
The SEA Games training team includes Persebaya and Bandung
Raya players who recently starred in the national soccer league.
He also said he would stick to his decision not to let the two
teams' key players play in the qualifying rounds of the Champions
and Winners Cups.
The association needs the two teams' key players to train for
the SEA Games.
"Only 20 players will make the final team," he said.
Assistant to the Federation's coach, Tumpak Sihite, has said
the SEA Games soccer team needs to improve its teamwork.
"Young players like Uston and Anang still need to coordinate
better with the senior players," he said.
The SEA Games men's soccer competition starts two days before
the official opening of the Games.
Countries participating in the soccer at the Games are divided
into two groups. Group A: Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei and
Singapore. Group B: Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos and the
Philippines.
Events
The SEA Games organizing committee said Thursday that some
events may be dropped if there aren't enough participants.
The 1996 SEA Games Federation rules stipulate that the holding
of an event is only valid if at least three or four nations take
part depending on the event.
Games training director Djoko Pramono said that only two
countries had confirmed their participation in some events,
reported Kompas.
"If these events are good gold prospects for Indonesia, we
will consult with the other countries before the registration
deadline on Sept. 19," he said.
Games competition commission official Muhammad Sarengat said
1,041 gold medals, 1,041 silver medals and 1,200 bronze were
being made for the 440 gold awards, 440 silver awards and 558
bronze awards that will be on offer in 34 events. (03)