RI aims for Olympic rowing qualification

RI aims for Olympic rowing qualification

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is striving for Olympic places in both
rowing and canoeing in the Asia Zone qualifying round in Japan in
May and June.

National coach Budiman said after a hearing with officials of
the National Sports Council (KONI) yesterday that he would select
16 athletes to join a centralized training stint in Jatiluhur,
West Java. The training program would start early next month.

"We just expect to win Olympic berths in Japan, not medals,"
Budiman said.

The Olympic canoeing qualifying competition will be held in
May, while the rowing will be one month later.

It will be Indonesia's second appearance in the Asia Zone
qualifying round after its participation 1992. It last fielded
only a canoeing team, but failed to make it through to the
Barcelona Olympics.

"Although we couldn't go through the final round, we were
still the best among Asian countries," Budiman recollected.

KONI considers canoeing and rowing secondary sports in
Indonesia's hopes to take part in the Atlanta Games in July,
along with judo, table tennis, track and field, swimming and
beach volleyball.

President Soeharto suggested last week that Indonesia focus on
four sports in which the country has potential medal winners for
the Olympics. The sports are women's tennis, women's archery,
badminton and boxing.

Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman, however,
encouraged athletes from other sports to prove that they deserve
Olympic participation.

Budiman said that his eight-man canoeing and eight-man rowing
teams will also form the backbone of the national squad for the
1997 Southeast Asian Games here and the 1998 Asian Games in
Bangkok.

Rowing will have 14 gold medals up for grabs in the Olympics,
while canoeing has 13.

The other zonal qualifying rounds will be held in Europe,
Africa and America. Indonesia's neighboring country Australia
will participate in the European zone. (05)