Persebaya players join Games training
Persebaya players join Games training
JAKARTA (JP): More Persebaya players, who recently starred in
the national soccer league, have joined their teammates in the
SEA Games centralized soccer training program.
Anang Ma'ruf arrived in Jakarta yesterday to join fellow
players Uston Nawawi, Aji Santoso and Chairil Anwar, who arrived
last week from Surabaya.
Only Eri Irianto and Sugiantoro have yet to join the SEA Games
training program.
Anang shrugged off yesterday allegations that he and some of
the other Persebaya players had refused to join the centralized
training program.
"It's only a misunderstanding between us and the soccer
officials about our plans for the SEA Games," said Anang, as
quoted by Antara.
A few days after their national soccer league victory,
Persebaya's players were unsure whether they would take part in
the ASEAN Champions Cup, or join the SEA Games team training.
Persebaya was set to play South Korean team Hyundai this month
in the qualifying round of the Champions Cup, while Bandung Raya
was to meet the winner of the qualifying round between Malaysia's
Telekom and Thailand's Air Force in the Winners cup.
The All Indonesia Football Federation told Persebaya and
Bandung Raya to abandon their plans for the two championships
because it needed their key players to train for the fast
approaching SEA Games.
The federation's coach Henk Wullens said he had called 32
footballers to start training for the biennial event.
"Only 20 players will make the final team," he said.
Another coach, Tumpak Sihite, said the SEA Games soccer team
still needed to improve its teamwork.
"Young players like Uston and Anang still need to coordinate
better with the senior players," he said.
The SEA Games men's soccer competition starts two days before
the official opening of the Games.
Countries participating in the Games are divided into two
groups. Group A comprises Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei and
Singapore. Group B comprises Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos
and the Philippines.
Rowing
Indonesian Rowing Association secretary-general Budiman
Setiawan said that Lasmin -- the country's leading male rower --
would compete in the world rowing championships in Aguibellete,
France.
The association is pinning its hopes on Lasmin in the SEA
Games, the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok and the 2000 Olympic Games
in Sydney.
The world rowing championships will start on Aug. 28 and
finish on Sept. 8.
The association last week named 104 rowers for the SEA Games
team.
The team wants to win at least 23 gold medals in the 31 rowing
events at the Games.
The team comprises 20 male rowers, 12 female rowers, 17 male
canoeists, six female canoeists, 27 male traditional boat racers
and 22 female traditional boat racers.
Rowing coach Dede Rohmat said the team was about to begin
final preparations for athletes' specialization training based on
the SEA games rowing events. (03)