RI to host Asian athletics grand prix
RI to host Asian athletics grand prix
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesia will host the first series of the 2005 Asian
Athletics Grand Prix next month in Sidoarjo, East Java, featuring
eight sporting events each in the men's and women's divisions.
"It is an honor for us to host the first series of the Asian
Grand Prix after we held the Asian Championship in 2000,"
Indonesian Athletics Association (PASI) chairman Bob Hasan said
during a press conference on Tuesday.
The one-day grand prix, which is scheduled to run on June 18,
will hold races in the 100, 400, and 800-meter sprints, the 110-
meter hurdle, long jump, high jump, shot put and javelin throw
for men; and the 100, 400, 1,500-meter sprints, 400-meter hurdle,
long jump, high jump, shot put, and discus throw for women.
The Indonesian team in the Asian Athletics Association (AAA)-
sanctioned competition numbers 67 male and 55 female athletes
with the host being exclusively allowed to field two competitors
in each event.
Among the Indonesian athletes are Eddy Zakaria who will
compete in the men's 110-meter hurdle; Yan Karubaba in the men's
400 meter run, while promising women include 100-meter
contenders, Deisy Sumigar and Supiati.
With his best mark of 14.11 seconds, Eddy is the only
Indonesian eligible for entry into the second series in Singapore
and the third in Thailand.
Participants from overseas in the first series include
Perepelova Lyubov of Uzbekistan for women's 100 meter sprint,
Yoshid Makiko of Japan in the women's 400 meter hurdle, Zhang Qi
of China in the men's shot put, Suwonprateep Sittichai of
Thailand in the men's 100 meter sprint.
Winners of each event in the Asian Grand Prix will take home
prize money of US$2,500, while runners-up and third-placed
finishers will pocket $700 and $400 respectively.
"This event is a good opportunity for our athletes to assess
their skills ahead of the 2005 Southeast Asia (SEA) Games," Bob
said.
The second series in Singapore will start on June 21, while
the third and final series in Thailand will begin on June 24.