Indonesia to send two runners to Olympics

Indonesia to send two runners to Olympics

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is to send two marathon runners to the Atlanta Olympic Games in July, an official said over the weekend.

B. Chaidir, the newly elected secretary-general of the Indonesian Amateur Athletic Association (IAAA), said after his installing ceremony that Suyono and Hudson Ethel will represent the country in the 26-mile event.

Chaidir said they were picked up because of their promising performances in the 18th Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, last year. They recorded better times than the qualifying standard set by the International Amateur Athletics Federation.

No other Indonesian track and field athletes have been selected for the Olympics.

Ruwiyati, one of Indonesia's young hopes for the future, who won gold and set a new SEA Games record in the 1,500 meters at the last SEA Games, cannot represent the country in the Olympics because she is too young.

"The International Olympics Committee has set a minimum age of 20 and Ruwiyati is still 19," Chaidir said.

The national training program is scheduled to take place in a state-owned plantation in West Java before the athletes undergo further training in the United States.

Earlier businessman Mohamad 'Bob' Hasan, who is the chairman of the IAAA, installed Chaidir as the new general-secretary, replacing Pramono Kartohadiprodjo, who has been inactive in the organization due to career commitments.

Kompas daily reported that Bob Hasan also took over as the head of the athletes' development division, replacing Sedijono Rijanto, who is going to study in Germany. (05)