ISSI eyes three golds in SEAG

JAKARTA (JP): As the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games approach, the Indonesian Cycling Association (ISSI) expects to win three of the seven gold medals on stake at the biennial event in Brunei Darussalam from Aug. 7 to Aug. 15.

Cycling training director, Sofian Ruzian, said on Thursday the three golds were expected from the men's individual time trials (ITT) and the men's and women's mountain bike events.

ISSI plans to send 17 of 22 cyclists who have been groomed for the SEA Games since May 10.

Tonton Susanto, Henry Setiawan, Wawan Setiobudi, Goang Sulistiyono, Herry Janto Setiawan, Hengky Setiawan, Moh. Basri and Suwandra will compete in the ITT and road race events.

In the mountain bike events, ISSI plans to send Fery Sonic, Beny Setiawan, Sugianto Setiawan, Sugianto, Ferinanto and Zainul Siswanto in the men's team and Rissa Suseanty, Indah and Shantia in the women's team.

Five cyclists -- Sujitno from East Java, Abdul Rachman from Yogyakarta, Nuraini from Jakarta, Harley Sonic from West Java and Andi Sistiawan from East Java -- were sent home after they failed the selection process.

"They have been evaluated for a month and apparently they failed to meet our standards. We have to stick to our commitments to the National Sports Council (KONI) to only send 17 cyclists," Sofian said, as quoted by Antara.

ISSI grooms road race cyclists in Yogyakarta under the supervision of coaches Theo Gunawan and Sigit Purwatmoko. While the mountain bikers are being groomed in Subang, West Java, under the supervision of Chandra Ariawijaya and Sugeng Trihartono. (yan)