Indonesian squash team to train in KL for SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): The national squash team is planning to undergo overseas training in Kuala Lumpur for at least one month prior to competing in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the city starting in June.

Bambang Gatot Subroto, coach and also the official in charge of technology, research and development with the Indonesian Squash Association (PSI), said the team would be looking for practice partners in Kuala Lumpur or competing in local events in neighboring Singapore.

"We have received the green light from the top official of the Asian Squash Federation, who is prominent in Malaysia. He has pledged to help develop Indonesia's squash team in return for our support for his candidacy as chairman of the federation,

"We want to spend about two-and-a-half months in KL starting in the second week of June. We will return to Jakarta to review our overseas training in the third week of August. If we can't afford to stay that long, at least we can train there for one month."

Bambang said he would bring 12 squash players with him.

Indonesia has been grooming nine men and five women players as part of the Games training program. They are coached by Bambang, former player Abdul Manaf and two other trainers.

The men's team consists of Agus Rante Tasak, Histawara Subroto and his younger brother Borman Subroto, Doni Manik, Nuryanto, Teguh Dwi Julianto, Fitri Parinding, Juni Fasius Lengkong and Octavianus Saranga, while the women's squad comprises Fenny Luisa Mukalo and her younger sister Juwita Luisa Mukalo, Sri Utaminingsih, Diane Putri Asih and Elisa Baco.

Bambang said the 14 players would be selected at the national championships in the Bung Karno squash center in Senayan, Central Jakarta, and the International Sports Club Indonesia (ISCI) Open in Ciputat, South Jakarta. Both are held in May.

"Abdull Manaf will not only act as a coach but also join the selection. If he qualifies for the team, I won't hesitate to include him. I'll pick the best players."

Bambang said the PSI had targeted two silvers from the men's and women's doubles teams and two bronzes from the men's and women's singles. In the 1999 Games in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia only managed a bronze from the men's team.

The 1999 team consisted of Nuryanto, Doni and Johny Supandi, who turned down an offer to compete in this year's Games.

"Our men's players have greater chances of reaching the finals if Singapore does not field its top players. But I can't promise a gold medal," Bambang said.

He admitted that tough challengers would come from Singapore and host Malaysia which possess world-class players. One of the Malaysian men's players, Ong Beng-hee, broke into the world top 15 earlier this year. (ivy)