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)