Rest week for athletes prior to Chiang Mai Games
Rest week for athletes prior to Chiang Mai Games
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian athletes are resting their muscles
but pumping up their spirit this week prior to their departure
for the 18th Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
National sportsmen and women, except for those still on
overseas stints, have all gathered here to strengthen their self-
confidence before turning up for 10 days of tense, frenzied
competition.
"This week is a conditioning period. No more rigorous training
sessions except light practice for the athletes," project officer
of the national SEA Games team, Arie Sudewo, said yesterday.
Arie said that the remaining seven days would be used also to
cure injuries which have hit several athletes. "We will not drop
the injured athletes out of the team. They should be fit before
we leave Jakarta," he said.
The Indonesian contingent, comprised of 470 sportsmen and
women, 111 coaches and 108 officials, is scheduled to pour into
Chiang Mai on Dec. 6.
Arie said one male and one female shuttler, a female fencing
athlete, a male basketball player and a male sprinter were
undergoing medical treatment to heal injuries.
"The injuries are not that serious. They will recover in
time," he said.
The shuttlers are Susi Susanti and doubles player Ricky
Subagja; the fencing athlete is Erni Yusnita; the cager is Ocky
Tamtelahitu; and the sprinter is Agus Ngamel.
Ricky was the last team member to suffer an injury. He hurt
his back during a practice at the world badminton grand prix
finals in Singapore on Tuesday. The injury forced world champions
of Ricky and Rexy Mainaky to pull out of the season-ending
tournament.
Arie reiterated yesterday that despite a number of injuries,
the national team is set to win 30 per cent of the 334 gold
offered during the Dec. 9-17 Games in a bid to finish first in
the medal race. Indonesia will take part in 26 of 28 medal
events.
"I'm still optimistic about our target," said Arie, who will
lead the Indonesian team. Indonesia lost to Thailand in the 1985
meet in Bangkok.
Reduction
Arie confirmed that the National Sports Council (KONI) had
dropped two players from the 20-man soccer team as required by
the SEA Games Organizing Committee.
The All-Indonesia Football Association recommended that Yadi
Mulyadi of Persib Bandung and Chairil Anwar of Asyabaab Surabaya
on Tuesday be sidelined from the soccer squad. Yadi returned to
his club, which is now playing the Asia Club Championship in
Bandung, West Java.
"All the 20 players are our best, but we had to pick only 18,"
Arie said. "Both Persib and Assyabaab will benefit from their
players' exit from the national team, due to the kick-off of the
new season of the league," he said.
Chairil's exit coincided with the arrival of star striker
Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto, but assistant coach Andy Teguh said that
he had considered removing Chairil a few days before Kurniawan
joined the team.
The SEA Games squad, led by KONI chairman Wismoyo
Arismunandar, will pay a courtesy call on President Soeharto at
the State Palace tomorrow morning.
A meeting with the President has become a traditional for the
national team ahead of an international event.
Gymnastics, cycling and table tennis teams will miss the
meeting with Soeharto because they will not return home from
their overseas stints but will fly directly to Chiang Mai.
On Saturday night, Wismoyo will spend a quiet night in
contemplation at the Senayan indoor stadium. (amd)