Indonesian judokas go home after shocking defeats in Asiad
Indonesian judokas go home after shocking defeats in Asiad
BANGKOK (JP): The Indonesian judo team will leave the 13th
Asian Games empty-handed after its last two medal hopefuls made
early exits on Wednesday.
Men's light-middleweight Kresna Bayu lost on points to Xiao
Degiang of China, while his teammate Aprilia Marzuki was defeated
by Olga Artamonova of Kyrgystan in their women's light-
middleweight bout.
The shocking defeats came under the watchful eyes of National
Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar, who is also a
former chief of the Indonesian Judo Association.
On Tuesday, Praptiningsih Rahayu, competing in the women's
lightweight division, failed to reach the quarterfinals.
Southeast Asian Games (SEA) gold medalist Bayu took the
initiative in his bout, using his thighs to attempt an uchimata
throw. But it was the feisty Xiao who scored with two osotogari
outer reaping throws, which, although not perfectly executed,
were enough to score points for the Chinese judoka.
In the women's bout, Artamonova floored Aprilia with a tai-
otohsi throw in a quick counterattack which the Indonesian failed
to anticipate. The throw earned the Kyrgystan judoka a full point
and the match.
Aprilia blamed herself for the loss, saying that she
concentrated so much on her attacks that she ignored her defense.
"She (Artamonova) is not an outstanding judoka. I know her
strengths very well. But she was patient enough to wait and
execute a lethal counter attack," said Aprillia, who won a gold
medal at the SEA Games in Jakarta last year.
China's Wang Xianbo won the women's light-middleweight gold
medal after beating Nami Kimoto of Japan. Choo In-chul of South
Korea defeated North Korean Kwak Ok-chol in the men's light-
middleweight final.
Bayu, who was accompanied by his girlfriend, expressed
disappointment with the refereeing.
"They (the referees) were unfair. Xiao did not deserve two
wazari major points but only yuko minor points, because his throw
attempts were not perfect," said Bayu, a student at the Bogor
Institute of Agriculture.
"They (the referees) also did not count my attacks. I think I
should have won a yuko or at least a koka," he said.
Bayu wore a knee brace during his bout to avoid a recurrence
of the injury he suffered in Japan last year.
"It did not bother me a lot. I did not feel the pain during
the bout," he said. (yan)