Indonesia to test swimmers at Asia C'ships before Olympics
Indonesia to test swimmers at Asia C'ships before Olympics
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Swimming Federation (PRSI) will
send its swimmers to the Asia Championships in Pusan, South
Korea, in March before they take part in the 2000 Olympics in
Sydney in September.
The federation's deputy in charge of athletic development
Kristiono Sumono said on Tuesday that it would not send swimmers
to the Olympics if they failed to fulfill the targets set for
them in the championships.
"We expect them to finish fifth in all individual events and
third in all team events at the championships," he said.
The federation plans to send male swimmers Richard Sam Bera,
Wisnu Wardhana, Albert and Felix Christiadi Sutanto, Akbar
Nasution, Steven Chandra and females Elsa Manora Nasution and
Siripiya Sutanto.
So far, only Richard (50 and 100 meter freestyle), Wisnu (50m
freestyle), Albert (100 and 200m butterfly stroke and 400m
individual medley), Akbar (200m breaststroke) and Elsa (100m
backstroke) have qualified for the Olympics B qualification based
on their best times in the 1999 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in
Brunei Darussalam in August.
"In Asia, Indonesia must be able to compete against China,
Japan and the ex Soviet countries. By being in the top five in
Asia we can join the elite of the continent. It will be very
difficult for us to compete against the strongest countries in
the world," Kristiono said.
He hoped that the country's 4x100m freestyle relay team could
qualify for the Olympics, which means that Felix could join the
Olympics team.
Kristiono, a former national swimmer, said based on the SEA
Games best times, he hoped Albert would be able to reach the top
16 in the Olympics in the 400m individual medley, while other
swimmers could hope to finish in the top 30s.
"If the 4x100m freestyle relay team can compete in the
Olympics, I believe they have a great chance to reach the world's
top 10. Unfortunately, up to today the team has yet to qualify,"
he said.
However, Kristiono warned that if the swimmers performed
poorly the federation would cancel its plan to send them to the
Olympics.
As a warm up to the championships, the federation will send
the swimmers to the Grand Prix Final in Hong Kong on Jan. 8 and
Jan. 9.
Previously, the federation planned to send swimmers to two
competitions in Hobart and Sydney, Australia, but it canceled the
plan and sent them to Hong Kong instead.
The federation also canceled its plan to stage a three-week
training course in Bali with an Australian coach, due to the
"worsening relationship between Indonesia and Australia over
East Timor," Kristiono said.
The federation's executive director Myrna Sukasah said some
people have been nominated to replace chairman Rahardi Ramelan in
the national congress early next month.
The candidates are Minister of Mines and Energy Lt. Gen.
Susilo Bambang Yudoyono, Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Admiral
Widodo Adisutjipto and Minister of Industry and Trade Jusuf
Kalla. Other candidates are Hendroprijono, chairman of the
Indonesian Judo Association, and Sudomo, chairman of the
Indonesian Golf Association. (yan)