KONI asks for athletes' personal Olympic targets
KONI asks for athletes' personal Olympic targets
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) has urged 11
sports organizations, whose athletes are preparing for the 2000
Olympic Games in Sydney in September, to set maximum targets in
the quadrennial event.
"By August, athletes must be able to set the highest targets
they expect to reach in the Olympics. They should also achieve
the maximum technical and physical conditions needed to compete
in the event," said executive training program director Imron ZS
on Wednesday.
Imron pointed to women's tennis player Wynne Prakusya, who is
still expecting a wild card from the International Tennis
Federation (ITF) and the International Olympics Committee (IOC),
saying that KONI would not insist upon her reaching the Olympics
main draw.
"We don't have high expectations for her to win any medals as
it has been difficult for her to qualify. But she must set her
own target anyway," he said after a meeting with five sports
organizations.
ITF will announce 48 names who will likely go to the Olympics
main draw on July 12. On Aug. 10, the federation will announce 18
wild card receivers, while on Aug. 16, ITF will call special
players invited to compete in the event.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that Wynne, who is now in the
world top 160s, managed to cruise into the second round of the
US$140,000 Tashkent Open women's tennis tournament in Tashkent,
Uzbekistan. Wynne beat Karin Kschwendt of Austria 6-4, 6-0.
Separately, Hadi Nazri, deputy in charge of athletes'
development at the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI),
said the association was considering a changeover in its
officials' composition in July.
"After we evaluate our team's performances in the Thomas and
Uber Cup championships, we will study the possibility of the
changeover, which will include the team's coaches," he said.
Hadi declined, however, to name any officials to be replaced.
He also said PBSI would stage weekly simulations for the
Olympic-trained shuttlers beginning in July.
"The simulations might be held each Friday in Jakarta. But we
have yet to decide whether we will use the indoor stadium or the
indoor tennis courts at the Senayan sports complex."
Hadi said PBSI would send non-Olympics qualifiers to compete
in the Thailand Open badminton championships which start on July
2 while the qualifiers would focus on their performances in the
Indonesia Open from July 19 to July 23 at the Senayan stadium.
(ivy)