RI set to be better in ASEAN track meet
RI set to be better in ASEAN track meet
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is worried about Thailand's all-
conquering team in the upcoming 20th ASEAN School Track and Field
Championships here on June 15 and June 16, but promises a better
outcome than last time.
Organizing committee chairman Sri Sudono Sumarto announced
yesterday that Indonesia has set a chief target of beating
Malaysia this time, rather than winning the overall championship
title.
Indonesia finished third in last year's event with seven gold
medals behind overall winner Thailand, and runner-up Malaysia.
Host Thailand grabbed 19 golds while Malaysia earned nine golds.
"We will and have to outshine Malaysia here," Sudono said.
Malaysia led Indonesia by gold medals but suffered a four-silver
deficit last year.
National coach Pieter Noya also expressed guarded optimism
that Indonesian athletes will avenge their defeat to Malaysia.
"Our students have better records that the Malaysians have had
recently. But to beat Thailand is unlikely," he said.
About 300 high school students from seven ASEAN country
members will take part in 40 events at the Madya Senayan stadium
next week. New ASEAN member Vietnam will make its debut here.
Indonesia was named host of the annual meet in the last ASEAN
School Sports Council meeting in Langkawi, Malaysia, last
November.
The Madya Senayan stadium is hosting the national student
track and field championships now underway until the weekend. The
national competition will serve as a selection ground for
students who will represent Indonesia in the ASEAN meet.
West Java led the pack with five golds, three silvers and a
bronze. East Java was second with three golds, six silvers and
five bronzes, followed by Central Java which collected three
golds, a silver and two bronzes.
Meanwhile, Pieter said that marathon runner Ethel Hudson was
the only Indonesian athlete to qualify for the Atlanta Olympic
Games track and field competition.
However, the Indonesian Track and Field is considering picking
women's sprinter Irine Joseph to accompany Ethel in the Summer
Games this July.
Irine failed at the qualifying round in the Taiwan Open
recently, but an International Olympic Committee rule allows each
country to be represented by one athlete, although unqualified,
in the Olympics.
"It's now up to the National Sports Council whether to send
the two athletes or not," Pieter said. The council will
officially announced the national Olympic team members on June
15. (yan)