'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)