RI lifter aims for fifth in Atlanta

JAKARTA (JP): As winning a medal at the Atlanta Olympic Games looks unlikely, Indonesia's best lifter, Heri Setiawan, has said he will be content with fifth place.

"I have prepared to finish among the top five, instead of overburdening myself with the too great expectation of taking a medal," a realistic Heri said during a regular training session at Gajah Sena gym in Bogor, West Java, yesterday.

"I'm satisfied with the progress I have made day by day here. Barring an unforeseen injury, I hope to perform my best lift in Atlanta," the 54kg lifter said.

Heri, 25, hoisted his personal best of 255kgs on his way to the gold medal at the 18th Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand last December. The effort put him into seventh place in the world rankings.

But this is not good enough he says. Heri hopes to heave 260kgs or more before leaving for Atlanta next month.

"I will take on the likes of Ivan Ivanov of Bulgaria, Mutlu Halil of Turkey and Zhang Xiangsen of China, who are billed as the world's finest," Heri said.

This year's Olympic weight lifting competition, to be staged at the Georgia World Congress Center from July 20 to July 30, offers 10 gold medals in the men's events.

Indonesia, the long-reigning weight lifting powerhouse in southeast Asia, although still a minnow in world-level competition, came close to winning its first ever Olympic medal in Seoul eight years ago when Dirja Wiharja finished fourth in the 60kg division.

More than half a century since the muscular sport was introduced in this country, the long awaited world laurels came last month when tiny Sri Indriyani swept all three gold medals offered in the girls' 46kg class at the World Junior Championships in Warsaw.

Heri, a native of Surabaya, East Java who has moved to West Java, will be the lone lifter in the Indonesian squad heading for Atlanta, following a selection process conducted by the National Sports Council last week.

Indonesia was given just one Olympic berth after its poor showing in the Asian Championships in Yachiyo, Japan, in April. Heri and his junior Erwin Abdullah were nominated to represent the country in the Summer Games, but the sports council selected only the mature muscleman. (amd)