RI set to regain Games supremacy
RI set to regain Games supremacy
JAKARTA (JP): A historic six golds in the ring highlighted
Indonesia's impressive performance in the 19th Southeast Asian
Games yesterday, as the host came closer to regaining its Games
supremacy.
But most eyes were turned toward Senayan Stadium where almost
100,000 people saw Indonesia beat Singapore 2-1 in the soccer
semifinals. It will now play defending champion Thailand, 2-1
winner over Vietnam in the other semifinal, in tomorrow's final.
Thousands of fans failed to get into the stadium and some
vented their frustration by throwing water bottles at security
guards, who responded, some on horseback, by charging at them.
At least 20 were arrested, along with several scalpers.
Indonesia's goldrush stepped up a gear yesterday, including a
six-gold sweep in the opening of the karate competition.
By the end of yesterday, Indonesia had an almost impregnable
lead in the medals race; its 119 golds are more than double its
nearest rival, Thailand, which has 56.
But a victory-hungry Indonesia is not slowing down its gold
mining machine, vowing to rake up 25 out of the 68 golds up for
grabs today.
"Although we are clear on top of the standings, we won't feel
secure until we have 150 golds," the spokesman for the Indonesian
team, Fritz Simanjuntak, said.
Indonesian pugilists not only snapped their gold medal
drought, they also restored their billing as the region's
strongest boxing powerhouse. Their previous biggest achievement
was winning four golds in 1987 and 1989. They returned home
humbly with only four silvers two years ago.
Only one of the seven home boxers who reached yesterday's
finals lost their bruising bouts played out before thousands of
yelling, drum-beating fans who packed the Sumantri Brojonegoro
sports hall.
A bitter rivalry pitting Indonesia against Thailand peaked in
the middleweight clash when home favorite Albert Papilaya avenged
his defeat to Bancha Morison two years ago with a 16-7 win.
The Thai team, which swept all 11 golds offered in the ring in
Chiang Mai, had to be content with four golds.
Karate
Karate kicked off with controversy, when an upset vice
president of the Malaysia Karate-Do Federation, Mohd. Noor
Nordin, said that the judges and referees were working in favor
of the host team. But a coach from the Philippines, David Lay,
believed the events had been conducted fairly.
Beach volleyball also made its Games debut yesterday, drawing
a huge crowd to the Senayan sandpit to watch perhaps the
scantiest clad athletes of Games in action.
The swimming competition wound up yesterday with SEA Games
records galore. Five of the six finals saw new marks, the only
exception being the women's 50m freestyle where Singapore's
Joscelin Yeo missed out on breaking her own mark set two years
ago in Chiang Mai.
In the velodrome possibly the biggest surprise of the Games to
date occurred when little-fancied Singaporean Bernard Wong
sneaked past the favorites, Indonesian brothers Henky Setiawan
and Herry Janto, to win the men's point race.
The main gymnastics competition also ended yesterday with
local star Jonathan Sianturi winning the vault and high bar
events to take his individual gold-medal tally to six.
Late last night Indonesia's men's indoor volleyballers clawed
their way back from two games down to defeat defending champion
Thailand 3-2 in a preview of tomorrow's final.