Irene named 1999's best female athlete

JAKARTA (JP): Irene Truitje Joseph (left), gold medalist in the women's 100m dash in the 1999 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, lifts up the 1999 best female athlete award which was handed over by Wismoyo Arismunandar (right), the chairman of the National Sports Council.

Irene broke five national records during 1999, including the 18-year-old 200m dash record and the 14-year-old 100m dash record. She capped last year's regional debut by winning the first 100m dash gold medal in the SEA Games in Brunei Darussalam. She is now attending the training program for the 2000 Olympic Games to be held in Sydney.

The award was given by sports journalists grouped in the Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Sports Journalists Association (SIWO) on Wednesday.

Irene edged out tae kwon doin Juana Wangsa Putri, and weightlifters Sri Indriyani and Winarni. Irene's coach Pieter Noya was honored as the best coach while Secretary General of the Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association Djoko Pramono was named best sports official.

Veteran swimmer Richard Sam Bera was awarded the best male athlete, eliminating karateka Abdullah Kadir, windsurfer Oka Sulaksana and badminton's double players Chandra Wijaya and Tonny Gunawan.

Richard and his juniors Wisnu Wardhana, Albert and Felix Christiadi Sutanto were also awarded as the best male team while trio women's kata karatekas and 1999 SEA Games gold medalists -- Trimurti Wulandari, Fitria Mega and Merani Mega Sjaukat -- were the best female teams.

Diver Shenny Ratna Amelia and Junior chess player and National Master Susanto Megaranto shared the best hopeful athletes award. (ivy)