Indonesian men qualify 2nd for Olympic bridge quarters

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's men's team had to be content with staying second to Group A leader France after beating Japan 18-12 in the 35th and last qualifying round of the 10th Bridge Olympics on Rhodes Island, Greece, Monday evening.

Indonesia's team manager Ananta Widjaja said Monday that his team was set to replace France as group leader but that in order to do so it would have to beat Japan by 25 victory points and France to draw with China.

Indonesia's bid to overthrow France went to the wind after it managed to nail only an 18-12 victory over Japan while France, on the other hand, made short work of China 23-7.

The failure of the Indonesian team to repeat its achievement of the 1984 Olympics in Seattle, U.S.A, when it won the group, became likely after its trump cards -- the veteran pair of Hengky Lasut/Eddy Manoppo and their juniors Giovanny Watulingas/ Sance Panelewen -- were surprisingly upset 10-20 by minnow San Marino in the 34th round.

The stunning loss pulled Indonesia's near-first position back to second and strengthened France's grip on the top, especially after it thrashed Poland 22-8.

After the end of the qualifying round Monday evening, France remained the Group A leader with 691 points. Indonesia was second with 676 followed by Poland with 642 and Denmark with 633.

Group B, on the other hand, saw Italy reign supreme with 692, Chinese Taipei trailed behind with 659, Iceland was third with 652 and Russia fourth with 645.

At 5 p.m. yesterday, which was noon Rhodes time, Indonesia had just begun taking on Iceland and France was playing Russia, after Group B leader Italy chose to pick up Group A fourth-placed Denmark.

Indonesia qualified for the quarterfinals after collecting 658.5 points Monday morning to remain second to defending champion France which perched atop with 668. This guaranteed a berth in the quarterfinals even if the Indonesians had lost to Japan.

Only the top four teams in each group went through to yesterday's one-day quarterfinals which are a knockout.

Those escaping from yesterday's quarterfinal round are to fight in today's and tomorrow's semifinals.

In the women's division, China emerged as Group A leader with 414 points, Germany was second with 406, the Netherlands third with 379 and England fourth with 374. In Group B, it was the U.S. which topped the standing with 409, followed by Austria with 407, Canada with 399 and Israel with 384.

"No, we didn't make it," Tina Budiharja, a member of Indonesia's women's team, told The Jakarta Post by phone from Greece yesterday, after the Indonesian women finished only 17th in their group. (arf)