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.