Malaysia favored as Indonesian sprinter ill

Malaysia favored as Indonesian sprinter ill

CHIANG MAI, Thailand (AFP): Malaysia's hope for the gold increased yesterday after sprint king Mardi Lestari of Indonesia caught a mystery bug on his way to the Southeast Asian Games here to defend his 100 meters title.

Twice-winner Lestari was released from hospital after being downed by a stomach illness and his coaches hope he will pick himself up in time to reach the showpiece track final on December 14.

If he fails to arrive here before Sunday, his understudy Erwin Heru may be asked to fill his running shoes, and Malaysian pair Watson Nyambek and Azmi Ibrahim hope to take full advantage.

Malaysian men have ruled the middle distances at the Games, but have not won the 100m gold since 1969.

The two have been in scorching form this season, when a new national record of 10.38secs was set, just three hundredths of a second off the meet record of 10.35secs set by Thailand's Sumet Promna in Jakarta in 1987.

Indonesia are worried that Lestari's potential no-show may inflict a huge dent on their target of 11 athletic golds, including the 4x100m relay which Lestari was to anchor.

"I heard he is already out of the hospital and he should be here in a few days," track coach Lay Paulus said.

"But he will have been weakened and so he would not be in top condition," he added.