Indonesian swimmers join upset Asiad sideliners
JAKARTA (JP): Women's swimmers turned out to be among the 12 athletes dropped from the Indonesian team for the 12th Asian Games in Hiroshima when the national sports governing body (KONI) announced the team yesterday.
National pool queen Elsa Manora Nasution and Meitri Widya Pangestika will miss the continent's biggest sports event, because of KONI's final judgment that they had little or no chance of winning medals.
Elsa and Meitri were groomed for relay events during the Games before the national swimming body (PRSI) changed its mind about giving them spots.
Elsa set four new national records during her training in America last month.
"It's a surprise and a disappointment. I feel that both swimmers are in their top form," coach Raja Nasution told reporters. However, he added that he would not lodge any protest with KONI, saying that he was obliged to follow the order.
Indonesia will now bank on its men's team made up of Wisnu Wardhana, Richard Sambera and Sutanto's brothers of Felix and Albert.
They have been prepared for the relay events, but both Wisnu and Richard will be used for individual short-distance events. "Asian men's swimmers have equal chances. It will take some luck for them to come out on top," said Raja, who also Elsa's father.
Ten athletes comprising six cyclists, two tennis players, a bowler and two boxers were also dropped several days after KONI announced the team lineup on Sept. 26. A cyclist, however, joined the national squad in the final minutes before the decision.
On Monday, national boxing great Syamsul Anwar criticized a decision to remove Hendrik Simangunsong and Albert Papilaya, the country's top boxers, from the squad, following their TKO defeats in a local tournament in Cuba.
But executive chairman of the national boxing body (Pertina) Imron ZS strongly defended the option, saying that the two boxers' form had deteriorated even before they underwent a training stint in Cuba.
"We gave them a final opportunity by sending them to Cuba, but they failed to make progress," said Imron. He added that Pertina would not give them any special privileges because they had big names.
Slimmer team
The national squad will now include 139 athletes who will compete in 23 events during the Oct. 2-16 Games. Despite the drop, KONI chairman Surono expressed his guarded optimism that Indonesia would improve its medal-tally.
Surono, after swearing in the contingent, admitted that Indonesia had reconsidered its bid to finish sixth overall. He said that the five former Soviet Union republics which are making their Asian Games debut will be strong challengers.
"Our main target now is simply winning more medals, and not to concentrate on what position we end up with," said Surono. The Indonesian team of 138 finished seventh overall at the 1990 meet with three golds, seven silvers and 21 bronzes.
An official in charge of the fund raising program, Soesilo Soedarman, also said yesterday KONI managed to rack up Rp 600 million (US$277,000) over and above the set budget of Rp 3 billion ($1.38 million) needed to send the athletes and cover their daily expenses during the two-week competitions.
He added the state-owned Garuda Airways will also provide free shuttle flight for the contingent. (amd)