RI pushes to include powerlifting at Olympic
RI pushes to include powerlifting at Olympic
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has once again pushed to include
powerlifting among the full-fledged, medal events that are
competed in at international and regional sports meet like
Olympic and Asian Games.
At the opening of the world junior weightlifting and
powerlifting championships in Nusa Dua, Bali, yesterday, Minister
of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman said that powerlifting
has become a favorite sport among young people all over the
country.
"The Indonesian Weightlifting and Powerlifting Association
(PABBSI) has been drawing up regular programs to attract more
young people to do the sport, and not just as a hobby," Hayono
was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) picked weightlifting
instead of powerlifting as an official event.
The world championships feature 192 lifters of 23 countries
competing in both men's and women's categories. The United
States, Australia, Germany, Austria, Canada, the Netherlands,
Chinese Taipei, Japan, England, India, Norway, Poland, Russia,
Sweden and New Zealand are among the visiting teams of the four-
day meet which started yesterday.
The world weightlifting body (WWF) named Indonesia the host of
the junior championships and the July 24-31 world weightlifting
meet during an international congress in Hamilton, Canada last
October.
The host team fields nine musclemen and nine musclewomen at
the annual event, with the 60-kilogram Sutrisno, 75-kilogram
Syahroni expected to steal the limelight. Mingguarti, who
competes in the 52-kilogram division and Agustina, who joined the
67.5-kilogram class, will be the national women's team ace
lifters.
PABBSI sorted out which athletes would make up the national
teams during selection matches held in Bogor, West Java last
April.
Hayono said if the IOC adopts powerlifting as a full-fledged
medal event, Indonesian lifters should lay their hopes for gold
on the lighter weight classes due to physical constraints.
"Indonesia has a good chance in the 50-kilogram and 60-
kilogram competitions," he said. (amd)