RI grooming 1,017 athletes for SEA Games
RI grooming 1,017 athletes for SEA Games
JAKARTA (JP): The 19th SEA Games centralized training is
grooming 1,017 athletes for the biennial event in October.
Training chairman Togi M. Hutagaol said before the athletes,
National Sports Council officials, representatives of the Games
consortium and chairman of several sports organizations at the
Gathering Night at the Senayan Tennis Indoor Stadium yesterday
that the athletes were selected from 1,214 athletes earlier this
month.
The final selection will take place on Aug. 1.
Twenty-nine foreign coaches and 164 local coaches are
responsible for the training.
Sixty-nine athletes of 1,017 -- 16 track and field athletes,
one snooker player, one golfer, four shooters, 18 swimmers, six
gymnasts, 12 tennis players and 11 boxers -- are having overseas
stints in Australia, the U.S., Germany, Italy, Uzbekhistan, Cuba,
China, Japan, Singapore, Chinese Taipei and Singapore.
"By the end of this month all sports organizations will
discuss their evaluation during the training," Togi said.
Some sports organizations have trained their athletes out of
Jakarta.
Weightlifting is grooming 30 lifters in Bogor and Lampung, 26
cyclists are being trained in Yogyakarta and Malang, East Java,
130 rowers, canoeists and traditional boat racers are being
groomed at the Jatiluhur dam, West Java and 40 hockey players are
being coached in Lampung.
Judo coaches its 30 judokas in Semarang, while 18 female
softball players and 10 squash players are being trained in
Bandung.
Athletes had a chance to take a break and amuse themselves
last night as artist Dorce entertained them with dangdut music.
Athletes joined in the celebrations, dancing with Dorce and
council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar, training director Djoko
Pramono, former city police chief M. Hindarto and former national
sprinter M. Sarengat.
Trio comedians Bagito and pop singers AB Three also
entertained the athletes last night.
The Indonesian Rowing Association's secretary-general Budiman
Setiawan told reporters last night that the association will send
the athletes to compete in four championships this month and
early next month.
"We haven't given them any targets but the main goal is to
know our rival strengths, especially the Thai and Filipino
rowers," he said.
Indonesia will send its 64 male and female teams to compete at
the Dragon Boat World Championship in Hong Kong from June 5 to
June 17.
"Last year, we finished second after China. This year, we
really hope to beat them," Budiman said.
The association will also send 25 athletes to the Dragon Boat
International Championship in Penang, Malaysia from May 29 to
June 3.
Twenty national rowers will compete at the Merlion Cup in
Singapore. The team will leave tomorrow and is scheduled to
return on June 2.
Another rowing team, consisting of 20 athletes, will be sent
to the Australian Open Rowing Championship in Perth. The team,
which will stay in Perth from June 12 to June 24, will conduct
biomechanic tests at the Western Australian Institute of Sports
Laboratory.
"The most important thing for athletes is to have competition
before the Games," Budiman said.
Budiman expressed his gratitude to sponsors Djajanti Group,
Gaya Wahana Timber, the Navy Chief Vice Admiral Arief Kushariadi
and the council. (yan)