PRSI tries to self-finance SEA Games training program
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)