RI karatekas grab no golds but net three silvers, three bronzes
RI karatekas grab no golds but net three silvers, three bronzes
JAKARTA (JP): Novilus Tedius Yoku and Sonny Simangasing
contributed on Thursday more medals for Indonesia on the second
day of the Asian Union Karate Organization (AUKO) championships
in Singapore.
Irianese-born Novilus, the 1999 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games
gold medalist in the men's open class, earned a silver after
losing to Ka Firaee 2-4 of Iran in the below 75-kilogram class.
Japanese karateka Nakahiro Niki and Hsu Hsiang Ming of Chinese
Taipei shared the bronze medal.
Sonny, the SEA Games bronze medalist in the men's below 70-kg
class, took the bronze in the below 60-kg division. Anuzadeh
Mehdi of Iran grabbed the gold, trailed by Japan's Yasu Hariu who
won the silver.
Overall, Indonesia earned three silvers and three bronzes. The
tally is disappointing compared to the country's achievement two
years ago when it earned two golds at the same event.
On the opening day on Wednesday, the men's kumite team of
Novilus, Sonny, Umar Syarif, Hasan Basri and Arif Taufan
Syamsuddin and the women's kata team of Endang Trimurti
Wulandari, Merani Mega and Fitria Mega Sjaukat contributed two
silver medals. Both teams won gold in August at the SEA Games in
Brunei Darussalam.
Indonesia also earned on the first day of the event silver
from the men's kata team comprising Aswan Ali, Elias Tande and
Wahyu Widayat, and a bronze from Fitria in the women's individual
kata.
The secretary-general of the Indonesian Karate-Do Federation
(Forki), Hendardji Supandji, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday
that the karatekas had competed to the best of their ability at
the championships.
"They have worked hard. We can't estimate results in karate.
We have not set any target at the championships. However, the
three karatekas managed to enter the finals and their
performances were not disappointing," he said.
"Besides, Iran is the 1998 world champion," he added.
The 27-year-old police officer Novilus said that he was proud
he could outclass the Japanese karateka.
"I am very proud to outshine Japanese karateka. It's always
been my personal ambition to beat Japan in each competition,
although Iranians are still the ones to beat on my way to gold,"
he was quoted by Antara as saying.
Umar, Hasan and Taufan failed to shine in the men's individual
kumite.
"I suffered an injury, but my coach ordered me to perform.
Look at the result, I only accommodated my rival's attack during
the match as if I was only a ball to kick around," said Umar, who
earned a bronze in the over 80-kg class at the SEA Games.
Sandra Aryani, who was expected to add to Indonesia's medal
tally in the women's individual kumite, also failed on Thursday
in her bid. (ivy)