Indonesian squash team to train in KL for SEA Games

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)