PON torches arrive from 26 provinces

PON torches arrive from 26 provinces

SURABAYA (JP): Torches for the 15th National Games (PON)
arrived here on Saturday from 26 provinces across the nation.

The torches are being kept in the Grahadi building on Jl.
Gubernur Suryo, and will be taken on Sunday evening to the
Sidoarjo regency, where PON will be opened on Monday by Vice
President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

PON's executive chairman, Imam Soepardi, accepted the torches
presented by 26 contingents, including East Java. Imam replaced
East Java governor and PON chairman Imam Utomo, who failed to
show up as he was attending a hearing with the city council on
Saturday.

PON's official in charge of the torch route, Col. Moh. Mansyur
said that Imam Utomo will see the torches off to Sidoarjo on
Sunday evening.

"The torches will be taken by 27 runners. Twenty-six of them
will carry the torches that represent the 26 provinces, while the
27th runner will carry the main torch. The runners comprise
students, members of social organizations and the Indonesian
Military," said Mansyur, who is a marine officer.

He said the torches would pass through 15 relays, which are
two kilometers long each. "The runners are changed at the end of
each relay," he added.

The torches will be handed over to the Sidoarjo regent and be
kept at Pendopo (hall) Sidoarjo, he said.

On Monday, 27 runners, who are alumni of the Academy of Home
Affairs Administration, which includes village and districts
chiefs, will carry the torches to the Delta Stadium gates.

"At the gates, 27 former national and international athletes
representing their provinces will take over the torch relay. They
will circumambulate the stadium once and then take the torches to
the cauldron," he said.

He named former national shuttler and men's singles gold
medalist in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona Alan Budikusumah
as the runner who will carry the main torch and light the
cauldron.

"The other runners include former Asian fastest man Mardi
Lestari representing North Sumatra, former national boxer Benny
Maniani of Papua, former walker Saido of Southeast Sulawesi and
former national shuttler Icuk Sugiarto of Jakarta," he said.

Imam said that five out of 31 PON events required tickets to
enter the venues to stop fanatic supporters, popularly known here
as bonek, from crowding the events.

"The five events are soccer, boxing, badminton, volleyball and
basketball. It will be dangerous if they don't use tickets. The
other events are free of charge," he said.

He said that a giant screen would be set outside Delta stadium
during the opening to anticipate spectators that would not be
able to get in.

-- Ivy Susanti