Mission impossible for local swimmers at Asiad: Official

Mission impossible for local swimmers at Asiad: Official

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's bid to win at least bronze medals in
the pool at the 13th Asian Games is unrealistic, an Indonesian
Swimming Association official said on Friday.

"We will take on a mission impossible if we have to carry the
burden of finishing among the continent's top three," the
association's deputy technical director, Gerald Item, said.

"The monetary crisis has hit our preparations for the games.
If the swimmers were practicing in the United States, they could
make it," he added.

Indonesia last won a rare bronze through the women's 4X100-
meter freestyle relay quartet of Meitry Widya Pangestika, Elfira
Rosa Nasution, Yeyen Gunawan and Chia Fek Kim in the 1990 event
in Beijing. All have now retired from international competition.

The National Sports Council did not enter a swimming team at
the most recent Asian Games held in Hiroshima, Japan four years
ago.

This time around the council will allow national swimmers to
enter the Asiad in Bangkok from Dec. 6 to Dec. 20 provided they
meet the qualifying times for the games in their final trial here
next week.

Gerald, himself a former leading swimmer, said he was
skeptical that his proteges would qualify due to their training
problems.

All but two swimmers sent for overseas trainings last year
have returned home and are now practicing at their local clubs.
Rita Mariani and her teammate Catherine Surya have continued
training in the United States and Australia respectively with
their families financial backing.

The association is grooming nine swimmers for the Asiad, five
of whom are female.

Gerald, the husband of former swimming queen Elfira, said
Indonesia's best, albeit slim change of taking a medal lies in
the women's 4X100m freestyle relay.

"The Asian third best mark is 3 minutes 56.50 seconds. If each
of our women's quartet clocks 59 seconds, I believe they deserve
a podium finish," he said.

However, relay team member Silvy Triana said she was doubtful
that she could meet the time limit set by her coach.

"It's impossible for me to meet that. My best time in the 100m
freestyle is three and a half seconds off the Asian record of
56.30 and two seconds slower than the Southeast Asian Games
mark," she said.

Silvy, who was about to leave for the U.S. when the
association asked her teammates to return home, said she has been
practicing intensively for three months. (yan)