KONI picks 122 athletes for Asian Games training
KONI picks 122 athletes for Asian Games training
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) named
yesterday 122 athletes from 20 sports who will start centralized
training Sept. 1 for the 13th Asian Games.
National team training director Mochamad Hindarto -- who
announced last Thursday that 109 athletes would be called up --
explained yesterday that last-minute inclusions were made on the
request of KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar when council
officials and training directors of sport organizations held a
series of meetings in recent days.
Hindarto said men's badminton player Hendrawan and women's
long-distance runner Ruwiyati were among the additions.
Hindarto termed Wismoyo's intervention "a special policy", but
refused to elaborate.
"I could just recommend to him (Wismoyo) which athletes
deserved the summons. But the final say was with him."
He said Hendrawan made the list following his triumph in the
Singapore Open earlier this month. Hendrawan also nailed a
morale-boosting win to help Indonesia retain the Thomas Cup world
men's badminton team championship trophy in May.
Of Ruwiyati's selection, Hindarto said: "She holds the best
women's marathon time." She won the 19th Southeast Asian Games
marathon gold medal last year.
Of 76 sportsmen and 46 women selected for the training
session, the soccer team boasted the most athletes with 18,
followed by badminton squad with one less pick. The council
included only one gymnast and two wushu martial artists.
Badminton, beach volleyball, boxing, rowing, canoeing,
gymnastics, karate, shooting, tennis, weightlifting, windsurfing
and wushu are the sports ticked for priority.
Soccer, equestrian events, track and field, fencing, judo,
sepak takraw, swimming and tae kwon do have been rated poorer
medal-winning prospects.
Hindarto said 138 male and 87 female athletes were proposed by
their respective sport organizations in April for the training
program.
He added that he had suggested that KONI send a streamlined
comprising of 69 athletes, 21 coaches and 14 officials to the
Asiad, scheduled to be held in Bangkok in December.
"But Pak Wismoyo wants more athletes up to 114, plus 33
coaches and 24 officials," Hindarto said. He added the figure
excluded masseurs, doctors, psychologists and logistics
personnel.
Funds
Hindarto estimated the daily expenses of Indonesian athletes
and coaches for the entire Dec. 6 to Dec. 20 event would be
US$266,000 and $67,000 respectively.
He said the council had received Rp 150 million ($12,500) of
Rp 3 billion promised by the government to finance the training
program.
"We can ask for the rest of the state funds anytime we need
them."
Separately, the council's deputy chairman, Arie Sudewo, said
KONI would approach governors of the 22 home provinces of
athletes to request financial aid.
"We may write to them with our request and send a team to
them. Hopefully, they will be willing to help us."
He said the contingent would travel on commercial airlines in
a cost-cutting method. (yan)