RI swimmers journey to Atlanta still doubtful
RI swimmers journey to Atlanta still doubtful
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Swimming Federation remains doubtful about sending its best two male athletes to the Olympic Games in Atlanta this July.
Kun Kundrad, the federation's training director, said that a hearing with the National Sports Council yesterday failed to decide whether to allow swimmer Richard Sam Bera and diver Temmy Kusuma to participate in Atlanta.
"They have left us waiting for their approval but both Richard and Temmy's intensive training will continue," Kun said. He expects to hear the fate of his athletes by April.
Richard saved Indonesia's blushes in the last Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, by winning three gold medals in the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 4x100m relay freestyle. Temmy took a gold in one-meter springboard.
"Richard is expected to reach the 100m freestyle final and the 50m freestyle semifinal in Atlanta, while Temmy is hoping to improve his world ranking from 40th to 30th," Kun said,
Richard and Temmy have both surpassed the Olympic qualification standard set by the international swimming body FINA.
Richard is now practicing in the United States. The federation has planned to send Temmy to train in China.
Potential
The council has said that only potential medal winners would be eligible for the Olympics. But Kun argued that giving his athletes places in the national Olympic squad would help his team prepare the 19th SEA Games next year.
Kun said that the federation has named 10 SEA Games veterans to form the national swimming team for the 1997 Games here. Sixteen new faces will complete the rooster.
Richard, Wisnu Wardhana, twins Felix and Albert Sutanto and Audy Octavian will spearhead the men's team. The women's team will comprise Catherine Surya, Olga Halim, Meitri Pangestika, Elsa Manora Nasution and Rita Mariani.
Kun said that the federation would concentrate on individual events in an attempt to improve Indonesia's success in swimming. Indonesia managed only four gold medals from Richard and Temmy Kusuma in Chiang Mai.
Kun said that Felix, Albert, Audy, Elsa and Rita will either join Richard and Wisnu in America or train in Australia with Catherine and Olga. Meitri is practicing in China.
Beach volleyball
The national volleyball head coach Wienarto also said yesterday that the Indonesian women's beach volleyball duo of Angelberta and Timmy are gearing up for the last Olympic qualifying round in June.
The national pair are now ranked 16th in the world, and need only to maintain their form to qualify for the Olympics. Their male counterparts Markoji and Nurmufid secured their berth after finishing 23rd in the final qualifying round in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil two weeks ago.
Only 24 teams will compete in the beach volleyball competition at Atlanta Beach, Clayton County, Georgia this July. The sport is making its debut in Olympics. (05)