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)