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.