New bowling center for 19th SEA Games

New bowling center for 19th SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Bowling Association signed an
agreement with PT Megamulti Sportindo to use the new Galeri
Kosmik Boling Kodel at Megamall Pluit complex in North Jakarta,
as the venue for the 19th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in October.

"We are greatly honored that the Games organizers finally
appointed Galeri Kosmik as the bowling venue for the event," PT
Megamulti Sportindo's president director, K.A. Hidayat, told
Antara yesterday.

The association's chairman, Oke F. Supit, said in a June 2
letter that the association had appointed the Rp 14 billion 36-
lane Galeri Kosmik as the venue.

Hidayat said national athletes had practiced at the new venue
for three to four hours a day for free.

At the Ancol bowling center, athletes had to pay Rp 40,000
(US$16.7) for 10 games every time they practiced.

Sugeng Surjadi, a member of Kodel board of directors, was
appointed team manager.

"I don't think Sugeng can refuse the appointment," Hidayat
said.

Indonesia expects to win only one of the 12 bowling gold
medals on offer. At the last Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand,
Indonesia won only a bronze medal in bowling.

Although the association has been training nine male and nine
female athletes, who have been coached by American James William
Godman, it still rests its hopes on veteran bowlers like Yani and
Poppy Tambis. (yan)