Indonesia to take four months to prepare for Olympic Games
Indonesia to take four months to prepare for Olympic Games
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian sporting executives decided yesterday not to intensify the country's preparations for the Atlanta Olympic Games until early March, thereby raising many eyebrows about its desire to better its 1992 performance.
The National Sports Council announced the decision after a closed-door meeting with its training director Mochammad Hindarto. Chairman of the council Wismoyo Arismunandar presided over the meeting.
"The centralized training program for selected athletes will last only four months, under the presumption that they have undergone their regular training long before they gather here," the council's spokesman Ishadi SK said.
Indonesia carved out a piece of sporting history in Barcelona in 1992 by taking home two gold medals from badminton stars Susi Susanti and Alan Budikusuma. The laurels ended its 34 year wait to join the gold medal winning countries.
Eight months of preparations proved insufficient for Indonesia for the Southeast Asian Games when it suffered a humiliating defeat by Thailand in Chiang Mai last December.
The council argued this time that the centralized training program would be emphasized on ensuring the athletes reach their peak form in the Olympics.
"Our training methods in the past often caused our athletes to drop their form just before a competition," Ishadi said.
Hindarto said during the meeting that athletes from 14 events have been groomed for the Olympics, scheduled from July 19 to Aug. 4.
Qualifiers
Indonesia has booked its Olympic berths in badminton, boxing, the men's and women's marathon, women's archery, women's tennis and men's beach volleyball. It is currently hoping for further places in weight lifting, rowing, canoeing, swimming, diving, table tennis, men's archery, women's beach volleyball and wind surfing.
The national men's beach volleyball trio were the most recent qualifiers for Atlanta when they finished 24th in the final qualifying round in Rio de Janeiro two weeks ago. Their female teammates' fate will be decided this weekend at the same venue.
Indonesia will also ask for wildcard entries in judo and shooting.
Hindarto said that Indonesia dropped its bid to take part in fencing and cycling for technical reasons, but declined to elaborate.
The council is expected to announce the definite sports Indonesia will participate in the Olympics today.
"We will take full notice of President Soeharto's suggestion that Indonesia should field only potential medal winners," Ishadi said. The council, however, will also give opportunities to athletes who have better chances in the future, he added.
Ishadi had said earlier that Indonesia would possibly field a team of 40. (amd)