RI archers out to win Olympic slots

RI archers out to win Olympic slots

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is out to win tickets to the 1996 Olympic Games, during the 38th World Archery Championships to be held at home early in August.

"It will be extremely hard work since we will be competing with the world's best archers," Oetojo Oesman, chairman of the Indonesian Archery Association, said during a fast breaking gathering on Thursday.

Indonesian women's and men's archers need to finish among the top 43 in their respective events to qualify for the Olympics in Atlanta, the U.S. Each event of the Olympics archery competitions will field 64 competitors.

A total of 70 countries have confirmed their entry to the Aug. 1-6 championships, the first qualifying round for the Olympics, to be held at the Senayan sports complex.

Indonesian athletes will be given a second chance to make an appearance at the Olympics during the Asian championships in March next year in Thailand. The top 12 archers of this continental event will win the remaining Olympic tickets.

Oetojo, who is also Minister of Justice, said the national team will have a testing ground on home soil as well as abroad in June. They are scheduled for the Jakarta Open before taking part in an international tournament in France.

Nurfitriyana, Purnama Pandiangan and Lilies Handayani, who teamed up to give Indonesia its first Olympic silver medal in 1986 in Seoul, are included in 24 archers called up for the world archery meet.

Perpani also awarded the women's team of Purnama, Rusena Gelanteh, Dahliana and their coach Daniel Lumalesil Rp 1 million (US$450) in cash each for their commendable performance during the Asian Games in Hiroshima in October last year.

The squad won silver in the women's Olympic Round event, the only medal won by the national team in the Games archery competition.

"The cash bonuses come late because all athletes returned to their respective hometowns shortly after the Asian Games," said Oetojo. The national archers have been regrouped for the national training center since last month. (amd)