RI athletes continue practicing despite fall breeze
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Busan, South Korea
Indonesian athletes keep up their training sessions ahead of the Busan 2002 Asian Games, to be opened on Sunday, amid the autumn weather which is getting colder each day and with constant winds in South Korea's southern port city.
"I am quite concerned with the windy climate here which could hamper our bodybuilders stamina and preparations," bodybuilding team manager, Steve Tengko, told reporters here on Thursday.
"However, I'm quite optimistic that we can take a medal or two, despite the fact that we are still in the dark about our opponents' strength and weaknesses," he said.
Asian bodybuilders are having their maiden participation at the quadrennial sporting event.
Indonesia has sent three bodybuilders to Busan -- Asrelawandi, Hendra Renaldie Arie and Wempy Wungo -- who will stretch their muscles from Oct. 3 to Oct. 6 at Busan's Citizen's Hall.
Indonesia's gymnastics coach Rafael Angel Figueroa Alcolea said he and Indonesia's only gymnast, Jonathan Sianturi would focus on getting to the final stage, despite the cold weather.
"I am sure that Jonathan can reach the final stage. We will prepare another strategy once he gets in.
"His main contenders are from China, Japan, North and South Korea. Unfortunately, we haven't seen other teams practice yet.
"But we still have about a week to practice," the Cuban coach said.
Alcolea admitted that Indonesian athletes had to overcome the problems of the cold weather, but reminded that it also applied to the other contingents.
"It becomes a major problem because the Indonesian athletes are from a tropical climate. But the contingent has provided them with jackets so it should not be a problem," he said.
Jonathan is taking part in the pommel horse and rings events. The gymnastics competition will be from Oct.1 to Oct. 10 at the Sajik Gymnasium.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian athletes got some relief in satisfying their palate when South Korean company Soho Food System contributed some food products.
"This is part of our gratitude to Indonesia from where we import the materials. We also import them from Vietnam and Thailand. We also cooperate with Indonesia's Indofood," Soho president Choi Jae-yoon told reporters.
Choi said, Soho had been importing Indofood products since 2001, with transactions worth some 40 million won to 50 million won (US$33,000 to $41,000) per month.
The company is the only importer of Indonesian food in South Korea and plans to introduce more Indonesian food here.
In a separate development, the Indonesian team had appointed veteran swimmer Richard Sam Bera to carry the red-and-white flag in Sunday's opening ceremony at Busan Main Stadium.
Richard will be accompanied by tae kwon doin Basuki Nugroho, tennis player Peter Handoyo, karateka Jeanny Jeanet and pole vaulter Ni Putu Desy Margawati.
Indonesian deputy chef-de-mission, I Gusti Kompyang Manila, said the contingent appointed Richard not only because he was a senior athlete with good achievements, but he had also performed extremely well at the Kuala Lumpur 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
On Thursday afternoon the Chinese officials and 303 athletes, arrived at Busan's Gimhae Airport, led by chef-de-mission Yuan Weimin.
China is sending a total of 946 athletes and officials with 379 men and 310 women athletes, second only to the host South Korea's 1,008 athletes and officials. There are 460 men and 310 women athletes in the South Korean team.
Japan has somewhere between with 988 athletes and officials but only having 397 men and 262 women athletes. China has dominated the Games since the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi and aims for nothing less than the top place.