PASI sorting out athletes for six-month workout

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Amateur Athletics Association (PASI) is still deciding on six to eight athletes for a four-strong nomination for a National Sports Council (KONI)-sponsored long-term overseas training camp.

"Hopefully, we'll have the names next week for submission to KONI," secretary-general of PASI Tigor Tanjung, said here on Wednesday.

KONI launched on Tuesday its long-term overseas program, exclusively provided for the participants from athletics, swimming and shooting, the three sports that traditionally offer the bulk of medals in tournaments.

The three events will each have four athletes for the program, which will run for six months until December, when the 22nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games commence in Vietnam.

Training director of the national workout Djoko Pramono said that KONI chairman Agum Gumelar would take responsibility for all expenses from his own resources.

"I don't know exactly whether the money will come from his own pocket -- he may be looking for sponsorship. What I know is that the money is not taken from KONI's routine expenses," Djoko said when contacted by The Jakarta Post later in the day.

"Pak Agum told me to call for the three events to submit their athletes, four apiece, for further grooming outside, and propose the amount of funds required.

"The athletes should be young and have the potential of being forged further into strong medal contenders," he said.

Djoko said only the Indonesian Swimming Association (PRSI) had already submitted athletes' names, albeit tentatively. The likely training ground would be in Perth, Australia.

Meanwhile, Tigor said that PASI, which is preparing a total of 53 athletes for the SEA Games, had three training ground options for its selected four: the United States, Germany and Australia.

It will be the second time PASI will have had a long-term training camp, following its 1997 round in Houston, which was held in the run-up to the Jakarta SEA Games.