Indonesia bodybuilders on warm-up outings before SEA Games

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian bodybuilders will try out in two events before heading to Manila for the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), according an official of the Indonesian Bodybuilding Federation (FBI).

FBI will send five athletes to the Asian Championship, which will be held from Oct. 4 to Oct. 8 in South Korea.

The five are M. Yusuf, who will compete in the 55 kilogram class, Eduardus Abcowo (65 kg), Muslim (70 kg), Hendra (75 kg) and Marfuad (80 kg).

After the Korean trip, Hendra will embark for the World Amateur Championship in Shanghai, China, and the following month where he will be joined Arselawandi.

FBI secretary-general and coach Steve Tengko said here on Friday that the federation was keen to see its athletes finish in the top five in Shanghai, which will last from Nov. 23 to Nov. 28.

He said that if the athletes performed well in the World Championship, Indonesia should have better chance of winning gold in the SEA Games.

After the two events, the bodybuilders will head to the 2005 SEA Games, where bodybuilding competition will be held at the Aliw Theater, Manila. The SEA Games will run from Nov. 27 to Dec. 5.

"From those two try-outs, we will be able to assess our athletes' prospects. We will be more realistic about what kind of medals we could get in the SEA Games," Steve said.

Steve expects stiff competition from hosts Philippines and from Singapore in the SEA Games.

"There are six classes in the SEA Games and I think the Philippines will get one gold for sure. Subjectivity counts at times on judgment," he said.

The 2005 SEA Games will mark the debut of FBI as Indonesia's bodybuilding authority competing in a multi-event sporting showcase.

Steve said Indonesia won a silver at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea, when bodybuilding was still under the direction of the Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association (PABBSI).

The Asian Bodybuilding Federation (ABBF) revoked PABBSI's membership last year after it was found to have competed in a tournament not sanctioned by the ABBF.