Gymnastic body to send six athletes to U.S. and Russia
Gymnastic body to send six athletes to U.S. and Russia
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Gymnastics Association plans to
send six athletes to train in the United States and Russia.
Association Secretary-General Sri Hastuti Merdiko said during
a breaking of the fast gathering yesterday that two men and two
women would be sent to Houston in April to be coached at Bela
Karolyi's camp.
Karolyi used to coach Olympic gold medalists Nadia Comaneci of
Rumania and America's Mary Lou Retton.
Also in April two women rhythmic gymnasts are to go to Russia
for coaching.
"The problem about sending our athletes to the United States
is their study because they are doing their examinations now the
rhythmic athletes will also have to deal with the cold weather in
Russia," Hastuti, nicknamed Tuti, said.
The gymnastics training vice director, Frederick Huma, said
that the association had received a fax from Karolyi's camp
outlining the requirements for the Indonesian athletes to
practice there.
"In the U.S., athletes must practice at least 35 hours a week.
Our athletes practice about six hours per day, six days a week,
so they fulfill the requirements," he said.
National gymnasts are to take part in the Arafura Games in
Darwin, Australia, in May and in the Universiade in Sicily,
Italy, in August.
However, Tuti declined to name the athletes to be sent to the
United States or Russia.
"We have yet to decide who to send but we'll select the
athletes with the most potential," she said.
She indicated that Indonesia's best hope, Jonathan Sianturi,
who won two golds at the 1995 SEA Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand,
would not be sent because the association has also contracted
five Russian coaches.
"Jonathan only needs to perfect his routines. Besides, we
expect the Russian coaches to arrive this month," she said.
Two of the three coaches, Yuri Kouznetsov and Irina Voino,
have coached here since November.
Tuti said that the four female gymnasts who were injured had
recovered and were able to practice. They are Afrina Siahaan,
Novi Kartianasari, Sherly Novitasarie and Nurfiana Achmadi.
Tuti pointed out that Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia
would probably dominate the sport at the biennial Games, which is
to take place here from Oct. 11 to Oct. 19.
"Our athletes must do their best to meet the National Sports
Council target of winning four golds," she said.
Indonesia only won two golds, one silver and four bronzes at
the last Games.
Tuti urged the Games organizers to provide new equipment.
"Sometimes, our athletes are injured because of the
inappropriate equipment. I want the organizers to provide the
equipment soon. So far, we have to borrow from the Sports
Department of the Jakarta city administration because it has new
apparatus acquired for the National Games in September," she
said. (yan)