RI lifter aims for fifth in Atlanta
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)