Indonesian boxing camp cultivates six gold medals
Indonesian boxing camp cultivates six gold medals
By Johannes K. Simbolon
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian boxers struck their most successful
blows in SEA Games history yesterday, punching their way to six
of the seven gold medals they contested.
Thailand, which sweeped all gold medals in the 1995 SEA Games
in Chiang Mai, took only four golds, while the Philippines picked
up the remaining one.
Indonesia's camp only lost one bout yesterday, with pinweight
(45 kg) Rusli being outpointed 8-14 by Thailand's left-handed
boxer Songsak Kontao.
The six victorious Indonesian boxers were light flyweight (48
kg) Lapaene Massara, flyweight (51 kg) Hermensen Ballo,
bantamweight (54 kg) Dufri Masihor, lightweight (60 kg) Wilpare
Jamhur, welterweight (67 kg) Bara Gomies, and middleweight (75
kg) Albert Papilaya.
The triumph sparked prolonged rejoicing among the 3,000
Indonesian supporters, many of whom had brought drums into the
arena, and the Indonesian boxing officials packing the Soemantri
Brodjonegoro sports hall.
"Our team has done their best," said a grinning chairman of
the Indonesian Boxing Association, Paul Toding.
Indonesian coach Wim Gomies told The Jakarta Post the victory
was historical since Indonesia had never reaped such a golden
harvest in SEA Games history.
Indonesia had previously won four gold medals on two
occasions, in the 1987 Games in Jakarta and the 1989 Games in
Kuala Lumpur.
Wim said it was also a special victory because it happened two
years after Indonesian boxers reached their SEA Games nadir,
winning with only five silvers in Chiang Mai.
"People must also note that most of our boxers who won gold
medals today are young-generation boxers. That means they still
have much time to add more glory to our boxing history," Wim
said.
He said the three-year training given by Cuban coaches Julio
Lee Hechevaria and Isidiro Rothman, had much improved the
performance of those fighters who won yesterday.
Revenge
Yesterday's finals were tough as well as entertaining as all
the boxers had to use all their skills and power to beat their
opponents.
The Indonesian camp, which Hechevaria said had been generally
over anxious about the Thais, was overcome with fear after Rusli
lost to Songsak in the first match.
Lapaene then gave some hope to the Indonesian team by
defeating Sapok Biki from Malaysia 19-4.
It was Ballo who ended "the fear of Thailand's boxers" after
sending punch after punch into Pramuansak Phosuwan to outpoint
him 29-7.
Dufri later outpointed Malaysia's Adnan Yusoh 23-4 and Wilpare
defeated Philippino Elmer Pamisa 25-7. Bara was up next and he
beat Jessie Flores of the Philippines 15-5.
The war against Thailand resumed with veteran fighter Papilaya
facing Bancha Morisorn, who had destroyed Papilaya in Chiang Mai
two years ago.
Papilaya took revenge against Morisorn, including disfiguring
his face several times in his 16-7 win.
The technical president of Thailand's Boxing Amateur
Association, Maj. Gen. Taweep Jantararoj, told The Post the
Indonesian fighters deserved their victories, adding however that
the judges had greatly favored the hosts.
"I think Ithe ndonesian boxers really won their matches. But
the points made by the judges showed too big gap in the
Indonesian boxers' favor," he said.
Taweep said Thailand's boxers would take revenge against
Indonesian boxers in other fora, such as the 1998 Asian Games
which is to be hosted by Thailand next year.
Philippine coach Rogellio Fortalezza also complained about
unfair refereeing.
"Our boxers have been rattled by unfair judgments from the
outset of the Games," Rogellio said, promising that Philippine
boxers would also take revenge against Indonesian boxers in other
fora.