More athletes qualify for SEAG training
JAKARTA (JP): Nine more senior athletes managed to qualify for the 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games training program in the first Track and Field Grand Prix at Madya stadium here on Friday.
Women's long-distance runner Supriati Sutono clocked 16 minutes 45.42 seconds to surpass the 'B' time limit of 17:10.00 in the women's 5,000m run. However, she has yet to equal her personal best of 15:54.45 which earned her a gold medal in the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok.
Her only contender, Verry Subnafeu, was more than three minutes behind. She clocked 19:01.30.
"I'm not well prepared for the Grand Prix. But I think I will regain my form before the SEA Games. I am also less motivated because there are only a few participants," Supriati, who has attended the Indonesian Amateur Athletic Association (PASI) long- term training program, said after the match.
In the men's 5,000m run, Gede Karang Asem and Ferry Junaedi met the qualifying 'B' time limit of 15:00.00. Karang Asem ran in 14:55.12 and Ferry in 14:56.86. But Abdul Manan failed to qualify after only running 15:09.96.
The men's triple jump event saw three qualifiers. Sugeng Jatmiko finished first after jumping 15.46m followed by Junaidi with 15.19m and Wisnu Nugroho with 15.11m. The standard 'B' limit of this event is 15.00m while the 'A' limit is 15.90m.
Two women javelin throwers also qualified for the training program. Ketut Mudiani threw 46.50m and Velomina Basikbasik 46.16m to surpass the 'B' limit of 46.00m.
Another newcomer to the training program was women's walker Darwati. She finished first in 49:29.34 to surpass the 'B' time limit of 50:00.00. Senior walker Tersiana Riwurohi was second with 50:30.23 while Afianti was next in 58:08.11
As of Friday, 15 athletes have qualified for the training program. The Grand Prix was staged to select candidates from among the 61 athletes across the provinces who would attend the training program. The second and third GP are scheduled for next year.
PASI Secretary General Tigor M. Tanjung said that athletes should have prepared themselves in their respective areas before competing in the GP.
"That's why only a few managed to surpass the limit and there was only one who set a new national record."
In the Junior Track and Field championships, none of the athletes managed to set new records or even to qualify. Central Java still tops the medal tally with eight golds, six silvers and three bronzes. West Nusa Tenggara was second with six golds, four silvers and three bronzes followed by West Java with four golds, five silvers and three bronzes. (ivy)