PRSI tries to self-finance SEA Games training program

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Swimming Federation (PRSI) will try to self-finance the centralized training program prior to the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur in September.

"PRSI will try to self-finance the centralized training program in Jakarta from January to May but we are still expecting an additional budget from the National Sports Council (KONI)," PRSI deputy secretary general Dadeng Kurnia said, as quoted by Antara, on Friday.

PRSI is grooming 92 athletes to join the selection for the Games. The athletes comprise of 16 male and 16 female swimmers, 12 divers including competitors in a newly adopted event, synchronized diving, 12 synchronized swimmers and 36 water polo players.

"For water polo, the centralized training will start on Jan. 29 in Jakarta while the diving training began last December," Dadeng said.

He also said that the PRSI has yet to decide on the Games target adding that the body would be able to estimate the medal target after the centralized training program progresses for some time.

Indonesia will face tough challenge from host country Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand at the event.

In the 1999 SEA Games, Indonesia only took six of 32 golds at stake from the pool.

In Semarang, the Indonesian Amateur Athletics Association (PASI) Central Java branch expects five of its 13 athletes to join the national squad.

"We hope five out of 13 athletes can team up in the national squad for the SEA Games. They are women's marathon runner Ruwiyati, middle distance runners Hanny Melon and Darminah, long distance runner Erni Wulatningsih and sprinter Yatin Saputra," said the branch's coaching commission member, Alwi Mugiyanto, on Thursday.

"But I expect Ruwiyati to win her third consecutive gold as she is currently in her best state of physical fitness."

Ruwiyati won gold medals in the 1995 and 1997 Games. In 1999, host country Brunei Darussalam did not feature the marathon event.

The athletes are undergoing intensive training in Salatiga, about 60kms south of here.

Alwi named Malaysian Yu Fang and Singaporean Ivon Dansen as Ruwiyati's toughest rivals.

In Surakarta, Central Java, I Made Sudiatnyana and Hardono Putro in the men's side and Linda Wijaya and Triyani Dewi Setyowati in the women's side will join the Games basketball training program in Jakarta.

The men's team will be coached by Tjetjep Firmansyah of Aspac team while the women's team will be trained by Welyanto Pribadi of Wismilak CLS of Surabaya. The training program will start on Jan. 14. (har/yan)