Marathoner upset at missing Manila

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Marathoner I Gede Karangasem complained on Tuesday about the decision to drop him from the 2005 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games squad.

"We weren't given a chance to prove ourselves in tryouts, but they just removed us from the list, saying that we were below par in the marathon," said Gede, who was dropped by the Athletics Association of Indonesia (PASI) along with Noce Matital and Yahuza from the men's marathon.

"I am disappointed with the decision."

Gede, who finished fourth in the 2003 Games in Hanoi, spoke after a press conference announcing the local athletes who will compete in the Greatest Race on Earth marathon series later this year. He has been picked with Noce and Ferry Subnafeu, who also attended the press conference.

Noce did not want to comment on PASI's decision.

PASI has stated it would only send athletes with a viable chance of winning medals in the Games. It will send Ferry, a bronze medalist at the last Games in Hanoi who is expected to win gold this time.

According to coach Herry Setiono, Gede, Noce and Yahuza each ran about 2:23 last year -- only slightly slower than the 2003 winning time of 2:21.03 of the Philippines' Allan Ballester -- and thus they should be allowed to compete.

PASI secretary-general Tigor Tandjung confirmed the decision to drop the three due to their slim chance of medaling, but then seemed to contradict himself by saying they could compete in "higher level" events.

"The SEA Games is not everything, they will be able to run at a higher level like the Greatest Race on Earth, Asian Games and other events."

He denied rumors that the athletes were being sent to the overseas races as consolation for missing Manila.

"We, in cooperation with Standard Chartered, made the list of runners in August, while their removal from the SEA Games only happened in September."

For the Greatest Race on Earth, Tigor said Gede would run in Nairobi on Oct. 23, Noce in Singapore on Dec. 4, Yahuza in Mumbai on Jan. 15 and Ferry in Hong Kong on Feb. 12.

Gede ran in the Singapore race last year, finishing out of the standings in a time of 2:32. Ferry took second place in Hong Kong last year with 2:44:19.

"This time, the SEA Games is more important to me," Ferry said. "I want to hear the national anthem in the SEA Games, but I will also do my best in the Greatest Race on Earth."