RI rowers training in Hungary

RI rowers training in Hungary

JAKARTA (JP): A nine-member Indonesian canoeing and kayak team left yesterday for a four-week training stint in Budapest, Hungary as part of their preparations for the upcoming Asian Games in Hirosima, Japan in October.

"We will participate in various weekly races there to improve our skills," Basoeki, the chairman of the Indonesian Rowing and Canoeing Association (PODSI) told the Jakarta Post here yesterday.

Hungary is a good place to practice because the country has a good rowing tradition, he added. "That country always wins at least one gold medal at the Olympics," Basoeki said.

Four years ago, in the last Asian Games in Beijing, Indonesian scullers rowed their way to one silver and one bronze.

The silver was grabbed by Anisi, the country's best men's 1,000 meter kayak rower with a time of 4 min 1.07 sec. The bronze was attained in the 1,000 meters men's pair kayak race.

The canoeing squad includes Benny Worabi for the men's single and Herman and Asmawin for the men's pairs.

The kayak team is made up of Anisi for the men's single and Abdul Razak and Agus for the pairs while Karim is standing by as a reserve.

On the same occasion, Basoeki also said that PODSI has set its sights on defending the two cups Indonesia won last year for the "dragon boats" events in Penang Malaysia on June 2.

Dragon boats are traditional races in which each race can see either 10 or 20 rowers in action depending on the size of the boats.

"Indonesia is strong in dragon boat events," he said. "Our main rivals are China and Hong Kong."

The official said that despite the fact that there are several other international rowing events to be held this summer, PODSI has to be selective due to lack of funds.

Many Indonesian sports associations are now facing financial problems after the government banned the circulation of the state-sponsored lottery (SDSB), which used to be their major source of funds. (hdj)