PASI sorting out athletes for six-month workout
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.