PASI expects athletes to break own marks
PASI expects athletes to break own marks
Eva C. Komandjaja and Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta
Given the tough competition at the Olympics, the Indonesian
Amateur Athletics Association (PASI) is encouraging its athletes
to seek to break their personal marks instead of hoping for
medals in Athens.
PASI is currently grooming two athletes for Greece: Supriati
Sutono in the women's 5,000 meters and Edy Zakaria in the men's
110-meter hurdles.
Supriati, a 1998 Asian Games gold medalist, is training in
Pangalengan, West Java, under the supervision of coach Nicky
Pattiasina while Edy is working out in Surabaya under the
supervision of Kwin Atmoko.
"I've heard from their coaches that they are in good shape.
Their training programs are going fine. So far, there has been
nothing to disrupt their training regimes," PASI secretary
general Tigor Tanjung told The Jakarta Post .
Tigor said that PASI only expected Supriati to set a time that
was close to her best mark of 15 minutes and 54.45 seconds, which
she achieved during the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok.
"Most world runners have personal bests of around 14 minutes
in the 5,000 meters, so it will be hard for her to win an Olympic
medal," Tigor said.
Chinese runner Jiang Bo holds the 5,000-meter world record of
14 minutes and 28.09 seconds, which she set in Shanghai in 1997.
Edy will be hoping to break the national record of 14 minutes
and 28 seconds in the men's 110-meter hurdles held by Hery
Prayogo.
"In the last SEA (Southeast Asian) Games in Vietnam, he
managed to equal Hery's mark and we hope that he will be able to
do better. His coach is very optimistic that he can break that
record," Tigor said.
The world record in the event is held by British runner Colin
Jackson with 12 minutes 91 seconds.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Cycling Association (ISSI) hopes to
see its lone Olympic athlete, Santia Tri Kusuma, finish in the
top 10 in Athens.
ISSI secretary-general Sofian Ruzian said on Wednesday a top
10 finish was the most it could hope for from Santia.
"I think we have to realize that Santia's competitors are too
strong for her to challenge in the Athens Olympics," he said.
Santia, who will be competing at Athens as a wild card entry,
was the bronze medalist in the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South
Korea, in the 24-kilometer point race.
Sofian said riders from Russia, New Zealand and Australia
would be the favorites in the point race category.
"We hope Santia has a lucky day at the Olympics. Who knows,
she could grab a medal," he said.
Santia will be Indonesia's first cyclist to compete at the
Olympics since Kalimanto and Heryanto Setiawan appeared at the
1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.
Indonesia will send 39 athletes to compete in 14 sports in
Athens.