Local athletes win five golds at Malaysia Open

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia won five gold, four silver medals and a bronze at the Malaysia Open track-and-field championships over the weekend at the Darulmakmur stadium in Kuantan, Malaysia.

John Murray (men's 200-meter dash), Hendiarsin Ozlan (men's pole vault), Nyoman Rae Trisandiana (women's triple jump), Ester Sumah (women's 800 meters) and the women's 4x100-meter relay team picked up gold in the event, as part of their preparations for the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam next month.

John Murray clocked 21.37 seconds to win the gold and was followed by host sprinters R. Ganeshwaran and Azmi Ibrahim, who finished in 21.69 and 21.85 seconds respectively.

Ester Sumah also upset Malaysian runner K. Soloseeni by winning the 800 meters after running in two minutes 12.31 seconds. Soloseeni finished second with 2:16.65, followed by compatriot K. Suriya Dewi with 2:19.65 seconds.

Nyoman Rae jumped 13.21 meters to bring home the gold as she beat Malaysians Fong Len Tze with 11.52 meters and Norhayu Akmal with 11.32 meters.

Hendiarsin vaulted 4.90 meters to beat South Korean Park Kyung-soo with 4.80 meters and Malaysian Tajuddin Abdullah with 4.80 meters.

The women's 4x100-meter team of Irene Truitje Joseph, Dedeh Erawati, Yolanda and Shanti Nelwan managed to finish first, clocking 46.47 seconds.

The Indonesian Amateur Athletics Association's (PASI) secretary-general, Barmawi Chaidir, told a press conference on Monday that the result was satisfying as the Indonesian team was warming up for the SEA Games.

"Unfortunately we still have no idea on Malaysia and Thailand's strengths. Malaysia used the championships to select its athletes for the Games. It hopes to select 35 athletes, but only 17 are qualified for the Games. While Thailand withdrew at the last minute," he said.

A PASI official in charge of athlete development, Paulus Lay, said that the athletes were not expected to show 100-percent of their skills.

"They only compete with 90 percent. We hope they can reach their peak in the SEA Games," he said.

Irene failed to equal her personal best as she ran only 24.19 seconds in the 200 meters. The first place was taken by Uzbekistan sprinter Lyobov Perepolova with 24.03 seconds.

She also finished second in the 100 meters, with 11.70 seconds, after another Uzbekistan runner.

In the first day of the National Junior Championships, two national records were broken.

Alia Basalamah improved her height in the girls' pole vault by clearing 3.30 meters. The national record was also in her name with 3.15 meters jumped on April 30. Yurita Ariani lengthened the national record in the girls' hammer throw to 42.61 meters. The old record was 38.71, held by Kusmiati.(yan)