National boxing training program under fire

National boxing training program under fire

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has assured itself of a gold medal and
could add another three at the President's Cup boxing
championships, though a noted boxing expert says their success
will depend very little on their training programs.

Syamsul Anwar Harahap, a former Asian champion and now a
staunch critic of the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association
(Pertina), took a close look at the fact that the nation's ace
boxers have lost their old spirit.

"Our boxers lost their identity ironically after undergoing a
stiff training stint in the past eight months," Syamsul said
after watching middleweight Albert Papilaya get outclassed by
Australian Justan Crowforn on Tuesday. It was Albert's second
loss to the same opponent.

"Some pugilists need eight months to get ready for the
tournament, but the other make it in just a month," Syamsul said.
He was comparing Pertina's centralized training program with a
breakaway program led by former national coach Daniel Bahari.

Pertina is fielding three teams in the annual event which
concludes tonight. The prime team, Garuda, paraded the country's
so-called boxing stars, who were only able to take two final
berths.

The underrated team, Rajawali, claimed the other three final
slots. Nobody from the sub-par team, Elang, qualified for the
finals, and they have to be content with a bronze.

Indonesia's quest for an overall title hat trick looks dimmer
as the overall champion will go to an individual team. The
Philippines and Australia will likely dash Indonesia's hopes as
they booked four final tickets apiece.

"Pertina has applied a grooming method which robs athletes of
individual characteristics," said Syamsul, who opted out of
Pertina's research and development agency last year. He
criticized Pertina's decision to hire Cuban coach Isidoro Trotman
to lead the national training camp.

"It is impossible to force our mature boxers to act as Cubans.
Pertina should have assigned Trotman to handle our juniors,"
Syamsul added.

Indonesia was without any foreign coach when its Keris team
won the coveted Cup after collecting four golds and two bronzes
last year. Indonesia's Panah team finished third behind France.

Nightmare

Syamsul warned of a possible nightmare during the Southeast
Asian Games unless Pertina forces crucial changes in its training
method.

"The SEA Games will pose much tougher challenges than the
tournament here," he said, noting that Thailand, which will play
host to the 18th Games, appears to be hiding an enormous iceberg.

Thailand brought a tiny team of minnows to the President's
Cup. It had secured a bronze medal as Malopo Swang advanced to
the light-welterweight semifinals, which he lost.

The Aug. 26-31 tournament is serving as a major tune-up for
the SEA Games in December. Pertina is eying a gold medal haul
amid Thailand's boisterous campaign to regain the top spot it
took in 1985, also at home.

Thailand and the Philippines shared the limelight in boxing
competition at the 1993 SEA Games with five golds each. The rest
went to Indonesia.

"It's time to work hard. Pertina's training stint has yet to
augur any news that Indonesia will shine in Chiang Mai," Syamsul
said. (amd)