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)