RI shuttlers seen to grab all gold medals

RI shuttlers seen to grab all gold medals

JAKARTA (JP): A former top Thai badminton player predicted
that the Indonesian badminton team will not face tough
competition from other countries at the 18th Southeast Asian
Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Sompol Kukasemkij, who is now the Thai badminton assistant
manager, told Antara in Chiang Mai that Indonesia would not have
much difficulty in taking all badminton gold medals on offer due
to the quality of its' players.

"Although some Indonesian players, like Susi Susanti and Ricky
Subagja, were injured, Indonesia still has good substitute
players," he said.

Recently, four Indonesian players, Susi, Ricky, Hermawan
Susanto and Mia Audina, were injured. According to the officials,
the three of them are ready to fight but Mia has had to be
replaced with Lydia Djaelawidjaja.

"Thailand and Malaysia can only hope to take the gold medal in
the men's doubles," he said.

Sompol also expressed his hope that Sakrapee Thongsari and
Pramote Teerawiwat from Thailand can steal a gold medal from
Indonesia.

Unfortunately, Pramote reportedly injured his ankle during
training on Sunday and was still under medical treatment.

Sakrapee, Pramote's partner, said that the injury was not bad
but Pramote had decided to rest in order to recover swiftly soon
before the badminton games start on Dec. 13.

Indonesian chances of winning the men's doubles title, may
also face opposition from favorites Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim
Hock of Malaysia, Sompol said.

The Malaysian duo, ranked eighth in the world, won the 1995
Grand Prix in Singapore recently and have been predicted to meet
Indonesian third ranked Antonius and Denny Kantono at the
semifinal. Antonius and Denny were defeated by the Malaysians at
the Grand Prix final in Singapore in three sets 16-17, 15-3, 15-
4.

After her arrival in Chiang Mai airport on Wednesday, Susi,
one of Indonesian's best hopes in badminton, told reporters that
she would try her best to win two gold medals for the country.

Swimming

Meanwhile, Thailand top swimmer Prapansai Minpraphal did not
consider Indonesians Maya Masita Nasution and Catherine Surya her
toughest rivals.

Prapansai said her big challenger would be Joselin Yeo from
Singapore, who earned six gold medals at the 1993 SEA Games in
Singapore.

"I don't care about my rivals' records," she said, "The most
important thing is to be the fastest and earn gold medals."

According to Prapansai, she will meet Yeo at six finals, among
them the 200 meters individual numbers, the 400 meters individual
medley and 4X100 meter team events.

While Indonesia is expected to make a clean sweep in the
badminton event, host Thailand is confident of dominating the
boxing competition -- the country's number one sport.

Chestha Thanacharo, chairman of the Thailand Amateur Boxing
Association, told reporters on Wednesday at the athletes village
that he is optimistic about Thailand's chances for seven gold
medals at the Games.

Thailand boxing team includes Somrot Khamsing, who gets a
ticket to the upcoming Atlanta Olympic Games, and his brother
Somluck Khamsing, who earned the only gold medal for Thailand at
the last Asian Games in Hiroshima. (05)