RI boxers eye future honors

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has set its sights on winning gold medals in the boxing competitions at the 2002 Asian Games and the 2004 Olympics.

The chairman of the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association Sang Nyoman Suwisma said after a meeting with National Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar that the association had pinned its hopes on junior boxers who are currently participating in a long- term training program.

"My major aim is to provide them with a solid platform from which to challenge for major honors over the next four years," Suwisma, who only recently took over the chairmanship of the association, said as quoted by Antara. Suwisma is also chief of the Tanjungpura Regional Military Command overseeing Kalimantan.

Yesterday, Suwisma and Wismoyo sent off seven young boxers to Taipei to compete in the Asian Junior Boxing Championships, which starts tomorrow.

Indonesia has never won any medals in Olympic boxing, but has three Asian Games gold medals won by middleweights Wiem Gomies in 1970 and 1978 and Pino Bahari in 1990. (amd)