Nyoman and Ruwiyati aim to improve personal bests
Nyoman and Ruwiyati aim to improve personal bests
JAKARTA (JP): Top track and field athletes Ni Nyoman Rae and
Ruwiyati set on Monday modest targets of improving their personal
bests at the Asian Games in Bangkok, although they did not rule
out their chances of winning medals.
"My target is only to improve my personal best. I don't want
to think about the medal first," Nyoman said during the signing
of a sponsorship contract between the Indonesian Amateur
Athletics Association (PASI) and equipment manufacturer Reebok.
Nyoman expressed her guarded optimism that she could finish on
the podium at the Asiad if she manages to maintain her form that
helped her chalk up a personal best of 13.25 meters at the Brunei
Open early this month.
"The bronze medalist at the Asian Championships in Fukuoka in
September leaped 13.24 meters. I think if I jump longer at Asiad,
I can win at least the bronze. Please, pray for me," she said.
The 20-year-old long jumper expected tough opposition from
Chinese, South Korean and Japanese rivals whom she said to
dominate the Asiad.
The quadrennial event opens on Dec. 6 and runs through Dec.
20.
Marathon specialist Ruwiyati also said she was aiming to
surpass her best time of two hours and 34 minutes, set at the
1995 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
"I don't know what place I will finish when I take on strong
runners from China, South Korea and Japan. It's more important
for me to try," said Ruwiyati, who will make her debut at the
continent's major sporting event.
The marathons will be held on the opening day of competition
on Dec. 7.
Along with Ruwiyati and Nyoman, Indonesia has named
marathonman Suyono, women's middle distance runner Supriyati
Sutono and women's walker Tersiana Ruwi Rohi for the Games track
and field competition.
PASI secretary-general, Barmawi Chaidir, said that all the
athletes would be in their best shape at the Asiad.
As for the funding of his team's appearance in Asian Games, he
said that PASI was raising the money itself.
The National Sports Council (KONI) has categorized track and
field as among the 10 sports with slimmer prospects of giving
Indonesia medals at Asiad. Consequently, the organizations of the
sports in this category are having to finance their athletes'
trip to Bangkok.
"How can the council pay our expenses while they have not
reimbursed the Rp 900 million (US$122,000 at the current exchange
rate) we spent to finance the training program for 1997 SEA
Games," Chaidir said.
Chaidir also said that the 1999 SEA Games training camp would
start after the Idul Fitri holiday, which falls in January.
PASI received kit sponsorship from Reebok for its five Asiad-
bound athletes. (yan)