Local athletes to compete in Taiwan and Vietnam
Local athletes to compete in Taiwan and Vietnam
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Amateur Athletics Association
will send 10 athletes to the Chinese Taipei Open and four
athletes to the Ho Chi Minh Open next week as preparation for the
19th Southeast Asian Games here in October.
The Athletics training director, Tigor M. Tanjung, told the
National Sports Council chairman, Wismoyo Arismunandar, yesterday
that the tryouts are to evaluate the centralized training program
and to assess other countries' strengths.
Supriati Sutono (women's 5000 and 10,000 meters), N. Rabaiya
(women's 100 meters), Rumini (heptathlon), Agus Reza Irawan (long
jump and tipple jump), Ismael Sroyer (men's discuss), Yousan
Lekahena (long jump and tipple jump), Freddy Mahuse (javelin), M.
Rusli (110 meters hurdles) and Nunung Jayadi (pole vault) will
compete at the Taipei Open from June 14 to June 15.
Judith Soselisa (tipple jump), Ester Sumah (women's 800
meters), Sih Ernawati (women's 100 meters) and M. Asyik (110
meters hurdles) will compete at the Ho Chi Minh Open from June 24
to June 25.
"So far, the athletes have increased their personal bests.
During training, five national records have been set in walking,
pole vault and discuss," Tigor said.
Indonesia hopes to win 10 of the 44 track and field gold
medals on offer.
"We'll maintain our favorite events, which we won at the last
Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand," he said.
Indonesia won seven golds, eight silvers and 10 bronzes at the
last biennial event while Thailand took 21 golds, 11 silvers and
12 bronzes.
Head coach Pieter Ferdinand Noya said athletes needed to
compete at both championships because they need at least 10
competitions in three months to reach their peak.
Sepaktakraw
The Indonesian Sepaktakraw Association also reported to
Wismoyo yesterday.
The association said it would send its 12 men and four women
to the King's Cup championships in Nakonsawan, Thailand.
Sepaktakraw training director Subroto said Indonesia would
compete in the men's regu (three players) and men's team (three
regu or nine players) and the women's regu events at the
championship.
The championships are from June 24 to June 27 and will feature
17 nations.
Before leaving for Thailand, the national squad will compete
in the Sentosa International Takraw Beach Tournament in Singapore
from June 14 to June 16.
After the championships, the 16 athletes plus 13 more from
Jakarta will meet in Bangkok for 12-day stint.
Subroto said the stint in Thailand was because the Thailand
had the best players in Asia and many domestic tournaments.
Wismoyo seemed upset with the association's decision to train
in Thailand.
"We are trying as hard as we can to prevent Thailand from
winning so many medals like it did two years ago. If we practice
there, they can see our strengths and weaknesses," he said.
"I want the association to reconsider its decision. Maybe we
can have a stint in Malaysia instead," he said. (yan)