'No new pool stars' for next year's SEA Games

'No new pool stars' for next year's SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) has set its
program to focus on the three Olympic compulsory sports of track
and field, swimming and gymnastics for next year's Southeast
Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur.

However, this will be tough as the athletes development
program is now concentrating on the existing athletes, some of
which are preparing for retirement.

Senior swimmer Richard Sam Bera told The Jakarta Post
Wednesday that KONI could not expect much from the pool next year
as there were no good new swimmers to scoop gold medals.

"It shows good vision from KONI to focus on the three sports
but we don't have new swimmers that could be the next stars,"
said Richard, who is also the Indonesian Swimming Federation's
(PRSI) technical commission member.

"The reason why we don't have new swimmers is because PRSI has
been focusing its development program only on senior swimmers and
ignoring the youngsters."

Citing an example, Richard said PRSI had spent nearly 80
percent of its development budget to finance his generation to be
groomed in the United States in 1996 and 1997.

"To develop younger swimmers, PRSI needs nearly the same or an
even bigger fund."

Indonesia has been relying on Richard, Wisnu Wardhana, twins
Albert and Felix Sutanto in the 1997 and 1999 SEA Games and last
month's Olympics.

Richard, who will turn 29 on Dec. 19, is optimistic that in
the next three years, Indonesia will be able to have good
swimmers in the SEA Games events.

"We have the talents for the 2003 Games, who have been groomed
since the ASEAN age group championships in Bali early this year.
With proper training they will be able to take over the role in
the squad."

"Generally we need four to five years to create four or five
good swimmers with the expectation to win seven or eight golds."

"Ideally, before my generation retires there has to be
youngsters who are ready to take over. But all this time, they
won't show up before we quit. Only Akbar (Nasution) has become
the middleman."

Richard said PRSI has set up a program to develop athletes at
different levels.

"The elite team will be supported by lower division teams. The
main problem is how to lift them to reach the elite team's
standard. Sometimes when the seniors are getting better, the
juniors are not motivated but they experience the opposite."

He also emphasized the strict differentiation between senior
and junior levels.

"The seniors will be in charge of international competitions
including SEA Games, Asian Games and Olympic Games. While the
juniors should be retained exclusively to prepare them for future
events."

Swimmers need more competition to improve their performance in
international events. Therefore, PRSI must also send swimmers
abroad specially to the United States or Australia to give them
enough competitive experience.

"Competitions in the United States, even in inter-college or
inter-club levels, are of good quality. It's a very tough
rivalry. Perhaps it's much better than the SEA Games level," said
the graduate of Arizona State University.

"FINA (the International Swimming Federation) has 12 Grand
Prix series from December to March but it's impossible for us to
join in as the schedule is very tight, which makes it hard for us
to recover, and it will cost us a fortune."

Richard, who now also runs the Aquatic Millennium Swimming
Club, expressed hope that the 10 Southeast Asian countries would
have their own Grand Prix series to boost athletes development in
the region. (yan)