Indonesia rationalizes track-and-field golds

Indonesia rationalizes track-and-field golds

By Ivy Susanti

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's ambition to regain eight golds from
the track in the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei
Darussalam next month will likely remain a dream as the
organizing committee will not feature the country's favorite
disciplines.

The Indonesian Amateur Athletics Association (PASI) secretary-
general, Barmawi Chaidir, said several sports -- men's and
women's marathon, women's pole vault and women's discus -- which
were Indonesia's favorites, would not be featured at the event.

"Unfortunately, the host country will not stage these
disciplines although we thought we could steal some golds in
them."

Indonesia won two golds from a marathon two years ago, thanks
to Eduardus Nabunome and Ruwiyati. Eduardus will run in the 5,000
meters and 10,000 meters this time around, but Ruwiyati will skip
the event due to her studies at a private university in Ungaran,
Central Java.

Indonesia won eight golds, eight silvers and 13 bronzes last
time. Top position was Malaysia with 16 golds, seven silvers and
five bronzes followed by Thailand with 15 golds, 19 silvers and
seven bronzes.

A PASI official in technical commission, Paulus Lay, said
Indonesia would be able to win only five of the 41 golds at
stake.

"It would be a miracle if we can steal another one to make it
six gold medals," he said.

The five golds will likely come from Supriati Sutono, Ester
Sumah and Nunung Jayadi. Another one is expected to come from
young starlet sprinter Irene Truitje Joseph.

Supriati, the 1998 Asian Games gold medalist, will compete in
the 1,500m, 5,000m and 10,000m disciplines. The Army sergeant
made an incredible performance two years ago by winning all three
disciplines and breaking three national records.

Unfortunately, Supriati has yet to reach her top form as she
only clocked 16:49.00 in a two-day simulation at the Senayan
Madya stadium on April 30. She failed to perform in the second
simulation on July 2 due to a light injury in her right thigh.

However, PASI is optimistic that Supriati, who will compete in
the World Championships in Sevilla, Spain, after the Games, will
be able to run at the biennial event from Aug. 7 to Aug. 15. She
is expected to run below 15 minutes and 30 seconds in the 5,000m
to qualify for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

Teammate Ester Sumah, who won the gold in the women's 800m in
1997 by clocking 2:06.72, is another gold medalist hope for
Indonesia.

Meanwhile 33-year-old Eduardus, nicknamed Edo, has to switch
from the marathon to the 5,000m and 10,000m to be able to join
the squad.

Two years ago, Edo earned a silver in the 10,000m and a gold
in a marathon. Second best Antonius Fallo followed in Edo's steps
to contribute a bronze in the 10,000m event.

Men's pole vaulter Nunung won a silver in 1997 by jumping
4.60m. The gold went to teammate Handiarsin Oslan who jumped
4.80m. Nunung is a new hope to win a gold this year after he
managed to jump 5.00m. The 21-year-old athlete vowed to set a new
record of 5.20m in the Games.

Young sprinter Irene will be a threat to Malaysian Shanti
Govindasamy as she managed to improve her personal best three
times in four months.

She broke the 18-year-old national record in the women's 200m
by clocking 23.82 seconds on April 30. The old record of 24.24
seconds was set by Henny Maspaitella in Manila in 1981.

Since then Irene has sharpened her personal best to 23.82
seconds early this month.

But coach Pieter Noya said Irene must run below 23.60 if she
wants to beat Govindasamy.

With only 11 athletes in the track and field squad, Indonesia
will likely remain in third place on the track after Malaysia and
Thailand.

Long-term training at the Senayan Madya stadium for sprinters
and field events and at the Pengalengan tea plantation in West
Java for middle and long distance runners was proof that PASI
made serious preparations for the biennial event. Hopefully,
Indonesia will be able to have new stars emerge from the Games.

Athletics team members

Men: Subakir (100m, 4x100m), Yanis Raubaba (200m, 4x100m), Wisnu
Nugroho (4x100m, long jump substitute), Johanes Murray (100m,
400m, 4x100m), Mahmud Hamzah (100m, 4x100m), Eduardus Nabunome
(5,000m, 10,000m), Antonius Fallo (5,000m, 10,000m), Sutrisno
(20,000m walk), Handiarsin Oslan (pole vault), Nunung Jayadi
(pole vault), Ong Kok Hin (hammer throw), Sukhraj Singh (shot
put) and Ponsianus Kahol (javelin throw).

Women: Irene Truitje Joseph (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Dedeh Erawati (100m
hurdles, 4x100m), Yolanda Wongso (200m, 4x100m, 4x400m), Santi
Nelwan (100m hurdles, 4x100m, 4x400m), Atin Saputro (400m,
4x100m, 4x400m), Yanti Saputro (400m, 4x400m), Ester Sumah (800m,
4x400m), Supiati (2100m, 4x100m), Ani Suprapti (10,000m walk),
Supriyati Sutono (1,500m, 5,000m, 10,000m) and Ni Nyoman Rae
Trisandiana (long jump).