POBSI predicts four golds in billiards and snooker
By Primastuti Handayani
JAKARTA (JP): Officials from the Indonesian Billiards and Snooker Association (POBSI) have questioned the National Sports Council's (KONI) decision to include billiards and snooker as a second category sport for the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games -- meaning it could only win bronze medals.
POBSI claimed its players were well prepared for the biennial event in Brunei Darussalam, which runs from Aug. 7 to Aug. 15, and could win at least two golds.
The two golds are likely to come from nine ball and 15 ball events (better known as pool events), according to POBSI spokesman, Basuki Santoso. But, snooker coach Wanda Karim claimed two more golds could be earned from snooker and English billiards.
"Two years ago we won three of four golds from the carambole event, which will not be featured this year. We are bored with winning just silvers in snooker and billiards. This year we must win golds," Wanda said at the Fire Brigade Training Center in Ciracas, East Jakarta.
POBSI is grooming 14 athletes at the center to compete in the four events; snooker, English billiards, nine ball and 15 ball.
They have to undergo physical training every morning at around 5 a.m. under the supervision of Maj. Sonny from the Navy.
"With the new system that an event must finish in a day, we need to be in good physical condition. In the SEA Games here two years ago, I had to compete in the final at 2 a.m.," said snooker player Sayumin Teng.
Sometimes POBSI chairman Putera Astaman has accompanied the athletes in physical training.
"We are lucky to have a chairman like Pak Putera who wants to spend his time with us in the dormitory," Wanda said.
"By setting a good example, we want to prove to Pak Putera that we are serious in winning the SEA Games," Sayumin said.
POBSI staged a one-month selection from May 22 to June 16 to select the best 13 players. Another player, Rudy Sulaeman, will automatically join the squad as he finished second in the Melbourne Cup snooker event.
Rudy will not join the main squad until Aug. 2 due to his studies at Homesglen TAFE Institute in Melbourne. The whole contingent will fly to Brunei Darussalam on Aug. 3.
Pool players
A limited budget meant the Indonesian Billiard and Snooker Association (POBSI) could only send its pool players to compete in the Chinese Taipei Open from June 25 to June 27.
An offer from the Asian Pocket Billiard Union to send ball nine players Robby Suarly and Alwi to compete in the World Pocket Billiard Association tournament in London from July 2 to July 17 had to be turned down.
"The time is too close to the SEA Games. We have talked to KONI but it didn't give permission," Basuki said.
In addition, snooker players have had to practice at home due to the limited budget for an overseas stint.
"With KONI's budget of only Rp 1.5 million (US$230) to stage the tryout, we prefer to use it for other needs, including renting air conditioners for the training halls," Wanda said.
The training program in Ciracas is free of charge thanks to Suharso, the fire brigade chief, who is also chairman of Jakarta POBSI. Suharso will also serve as team manager for the Games.
"We are lucky that we have 15 tables from the last SEA Games to be used for training. I couldn't imagine the cost of having to rent the tables from pool halls," Wanda said.
Sayumin blamed a lack of continuity in training as the main factor of Indonesia's loss in previous SEA Games.
"After the Games, we only practiced in pool halls where tables are seven feet. That size doesn't meet the international requirement of nine-foot tables for nine ball and 15 ball and 12- foot tables for snooker and English billiards," he said.
Toughest rival
In the SEA Games this year, Wanda named Thailand as the toughest rival in both snooker and English billiard events.
"Thailand has a snooker institute and it has many world class players. Its players are the strongest in Asia," he said.
Kwan Poomjang and Paitoon Phonboon will be tough rivals for Rudy and Suyamin in snooker. While Prapruet Chaithanasakul and Mongkol Kanfaklang are set to be tough contenders for Indonesia's Muslim in the English billiards.
In pool, Indonesians will have to work hard to overcome the threat posed by Filipinos competing in the event. Two years ago, Victor Arpilleda took the gold in 15 ball and Eduardo Villanueva earned the bronze in the nine ball.
"But the Philippines has the Asian champion, Warren Kiamco. If he competes in the SEA Games, we'll have to work harder," Wanda said.
Malaysian Patrick Ooi is also another threat as he bagged the nine ball gold two years ago.
Billiards and snooker team members
Snooker: Sayumin Teng, Rudy Sulaeman, Teng Khee Sien, Bernard
English billiard: Muslim, Hasan Manfaluti
Nine ball: Robby Suarly, Alwi, Nurdin, Edi Hartono
15 ball: Suwito, Adam, Wiliam Ipainem, Imran Ibrahim