Indonesia hopes to squash its opponents at SEA Games

Indonesia hopes to squash its opponents at SEA Games

By Ivy Susanti

JAKARTA (JP): Squash may not be as popular as badminton or
tennis in Indonesia but the sport has contributed several medals
at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

After grabbing three bronze medals two years ago, the
Indonesian Squash Association (PSI) hopes its male athletes can
return with a silver from the 20th Games in Brunei Darussalam to
be held from Aug. 7 to Aug. 15.

Coach Bambang Gatot Subroto expressed optimism about his
players' chances. "I think our team has a chance for a silver
because I received information that Singapore will not field its
top professional players."

Reports said the Singapore sports council had declined to
fulfill top player Peter Hill's payment request of HK$250 per
hour if Singapore wanted to field him for the biennial event.

Bambang named Kenneth Low and Ong Beng Hee of Malaysia as
Indonesia's toughest opponents at the Games. Low, 23, is
currently Malaysia's No. 1 player, while 19-year-old Ong, the
1998 world junior champion, is Malaysia's second best.

"Low is now in the world 60s, because he was absent in some
circuit tournaments this year. As for Ong, he even beat the world
ranked 34th player in a tournament in Malaysia this year," he
said.

Malaysia also will field Mohammad Azlan, 17, Kok-four, 25, and
Ricky Lee, 22.

Bambang refused to speculate on his players' chances in the
individual event. He has repeatedly said his players' skills are
far below the Malaysian level, because Malaysians are introduced
to squash at an early age.

"I still have to improve their speed. I think our players have
reached their top form now, and I should try to maintain their
condition until they compete at the SEA Games," Bambang said.

In the 1995 Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Indonesian players
went home empty-handed. Two years ago, Malaysia made a clean
sweep of four golds and two silvers in both men's and women's
individual and team events. Singapore trailed in second place
after bagging two silvers and three bronzes, while Indonesia
grabbed three bronzes.

This year, Indonesia will not send its women's players due to
health problems suffered by two of the four athletes.

Bambang said Fenny Luisa Mokalu and Desy Kristanti had
experienced health problems during physical tests, but he
declined to elaborate.

Juwita Mokalu and Dianne Putri Asih were omitted from the team
as a country must send at least three players to compete.

PSI, which has never sent its athletes for an overseas stint
during the three-month training program, decided to hire a
practice partner from Malaysia.

Malaysian Aaron Soyza, ranked eighth in his country, failed to
meet Indonesian players standards.

Bambang said Soyza was slower and was easily beaten by
Indonesian players, adding that Malaysia's top players should be
much faster than Soyza.

Soyza complained later that he had difficulty adapting to the
Senayan squash court surface because it was completely different
from Malaysian court surfaces.

The 20-year-old player said Indonesian players had a good
chance of winning a silver medal.

"At least they can take the second place. They are strong
enough to beat the Filipinos. They also have equal chances
against the Singaporean team. If they can beat me, they can beat
Singapore," he said, adding that Indonesian players should
prepare to adjust themselves to the fast surface courts in
Brunei.

Squash team lineup: Djoni Supardi, Doni Manik, Nuryanto
Suparman and Abdul Manaf (substitute)