National Sports Council to screen athletes' fitness for Asiad
National Sports Council to screen athletes' fitness for Asiad
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Indonesian Sports Council (KONI) is set to hold a medical
screening for its Asian Games' athletes next month to monitor
their physical and mental shape ahead of the quadrennial Asian
sporting showcase in Busan, South Korea.
"The test will be conducted in the second week of May. We will
screen them to find out whether or not they can measure up to
eighty percent of the level of fitness we expect of athletes
prior to the games," Imron ZS, the training director, told a
media conference here on Thursday.
"If they demonstrate the expected level of fitness, we hope
they will arrive in peak condition at the Asian Games," he added.
He was accompanied by KONI spokeswoman Soraya Perucha.
The May program is the second test administered by KONI on
athletes following a previous one held in early January, where as
many as 173 athletes underwent a week-long test at Jatiluhur
Reservoir in West Java.
Two members failed the test. In the following three months, a
few more exited the training ground, the last being rower Lasmin.
The Southeast Sulawesi-based rower had to abandon his Asian
Games dream due to injuries.
Indonesia plans to compete in 19 events at the Asiad, which
will take place from Sept. 29 to Oct. 14.
The number of Indonesian athletes is currently 152, but will
probably decrease after the next screening. The majority of
athletes are training in Jakarta. A few of them have set up a
training camp overseas.
"We will dispatch to Busan only those who have medal
prospects. To obtain this goal, they must be physically and
mentally prepared for the competition," Imron said. "Those who
are unable to keep up with the pace must quit."
While signaling a strict policy for the screening, Imron
offered morale boosters to those who fail.
"To those who can't get through, please hold your heads up.
This is not a matter of liking or disliking. It's just that you
can't meet the standards we have already agreed upon.
"You shouldn't lose heart. Instead, you must start to prepare
for the next challenge at the 2003 SEA Games," he said, referring
to the biennial event among Southeast Asian nations to be staged
this time round in Vietnam.