RI athletes continue practicing despite fall breeze

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.