RI lifters have bigger chance in 48kg class

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Olympic Games deputy chef de mission, Imron Z.S., and the Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association's (PABBSI) weighlifting training director, Djoko Pramono, told reporters on Tuesday that Indonesia has a good chance to win a medal in the women's 48 kilograms division at the quadrennial event.

Imron said the absence of Chinese lifters, who won the event at the World Championships last year in Athens, might enable Indonesia's two lifters, Sri Indriyani and Lisa Rumbewas, to win the medal.

Both Sri and Lisa joined their compatriots Winarni and Supeni, who are competing in the 53kg division, for the final evaluation on Aug. 9 and Aug. 14.

According to Imron, the evaluation results were as follows: Sri lifted 85.5kgs in snatch, 112.0kgs in clean and jerk and a total lift of 197.5kgs. Her total lift equaled the world record created by Liu Xiuhua of China at the World Weightlifting Championships in Montreal in June.

While Lisa lifted 85.0kgs in snatch, 110.0kgs in clean and jerk and a total of 195.0kgs.

"As the Chinese lifters will be absent in the women's 48kgs division, our lifters will have a great chance to contribute a medal from a sport other than badminton," he said.

In the women's 53kg division, Winarni lifted 97.5kgs, which also equaled the world record created by Meng Xianjuan of China in the World Weightlifting Championships in Chiba, Japan, last year. The Indonesian lifted 115.0kgs in clean and jerk and a total lift of 212.5kgs.

While Supeni only lifted 85.0kgs in snatch, 110.0kgs in clean and jerk and a total lift of 195.0kgs.

Indonesia earned three Olympic berths but the PABBSI had problems in deciding which athletes would represent the country in the event. Therefore the association decided to stage an evaluation to pick three athletes.

"I will report the results of today's meeting to the Olympics executive training director tomorrow. It's unethical if I announce the names today," Imron said, declining to mention the lifters.

However, he added, the National Sports Council (KONI) will not only observe the final evaluation of the athletes but also assess their physical and psychological condition as well as their self confidence, all of which are needed to overcome pressure in such a major event.

PABBSI sparked controversy last week when its new chairman Dharma Surya made the decision to expel Supeni from the squad just two-days before the Aug. 9 selection, and put Lisa's name on the squad list instead. Lisa was trained in Dharma's training center in Balikpapan, South Kalimantan.

But Djoko, who was very upset with the one-sided action, managed to persuade KONI to postpone the decision until after the evaluation. (yan)