Indonesia set no target in swim meet

Indonesia set no target in swim meet

JAKARTA (JP): The country has no gold medal target for the
fourth ASEAN Schools Swimming Championship at Senayan despite the
presence of seven team members from the 20th Southeast Asian
(SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam.

Team manager Marhot Harahap said the swimmers only wanted to
do their best in the event, which has 42 swimmers competing from
Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

"I don't want to talk about a medal target. We only won three
bronzes in the same championships held in Thailand in 1997. This
year, we want to do better than this," he said.

Indonesia's 10 swimmers include Hendrik Eko AP., Steven
Chandra, M. Akbar Nasution, Siripiya Sutanto, Ati Yuliani, Nancy
Suryaatmadja and Dyah Ayu Rahmini, all of whom competed in the
SEA Games. The remaining swimmers are Hanny D. Prasetyo, Delfina
C. and Herry Yudhianto.

Steven won a gold in the men's 400m freestyle on Monday,
clocking 4:09.21. Thai's swimmers won four golds from Pornlada
Srisawat in the women's 400m freestyle, Piyawat Kratihumitikul in
the men's 100m backstroke, Thida Tonpongsatorn in the women's
100m backstroke and Parichat Suksupak in the women's 100m
butterfly. Malaysia earned one gold through Lubrey Lim Yu-lung in
the men's 100m butterfly.

Thailand and Malaysia, the two countries which dominated the
pool during the Games, will try to retain supremacy in the
championship.

Thailand is eying 10 golds and Malaysia has set a target of
three.

Four of the 10 Thai swimmers -- Non Poonchaisri, Anurat
Tinaruxpong, Rungrot Bunsekaew and Parichat -- also competed in
Brunei. Malaysia also included SEA Games swimmers Cindy Ong Pik-
yin, Kimberley Yap Fui-li and Siew Yi-ting among its 10 swimmers.

"We want to grab 10 golds. We regard Indonesian swimmers as
tough rivals for our swimmers," said Thai coach Taweechoak
Pongdee.

Malaysian head coach Mazlan Abdullah said that Ong, Yap, Siew
and two other swimmers, Siew Ting-king and Lim, also were being
groomed for the 2001 SEA Games in Malaysia.

"We set a very modest target of three golds in the
championship. This event will provide chances for our five
swimmers, currently groomed for the 2001 SEA Games, to gain
experience," he said. (ivy)