RI to host Asian Cup Baseball Championship

RI to host Asian Cup Baseball Championship

JAKARTA (JP): Six second division teams are expected to
compete in the fourth Asian Cup Baseball Championship at the
Senayan Baseball Stadium next month.

"Besides Indonesia, five other countries will compete in the
event. They are Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, Thailand and
Uzbekistan," said Indonesian Baseball and Softball Association
(Perbasasi) vice chairman Harry A. Tresnadi on Wednesday.

The event will take place from Feb. 18 until Feb. 25.

"The winner and runner-up of the championship will then be
promoted to the first division event which will have its
championship in Taipei in April. Chinese Taipei, Japan, South
Korea and the Philippines will be challenged by the two promoted
countries in this division," Harry said on the sidelines of the
National Sports Council (KONI) three-day national congress in
Senayan.

"I'm sure we can win the second division championship this
year and be promoted to the first division even though we will
face tough competition from Thailand. When we participated in
Bangkok in 1997, we were the runner-up after the host," he said,
adding that Indonesia missed the 1999 event in India.

"And if we are promoted to the first division, it will be
easier for us to compete in the 2002 Asian Games in Pusan, South
Korea. But I'm not sure if KONI will be willing to send a
baseball team to Pusan since it's unlikely we'll win any medals.

"It will be a long time before we can participate at an
Olympic level. Even in the Asiad, we are no match for baseball
giants like Japan and South Korea."

In the Sydney 2000 Olympics, South Korea beat Japan 3-1 to
grab the bronze medal. The United States won the gold, defeating
defending champion Cuba 4-0.

"Perbasasi will also stage a national junior championship in
June as a part of our preparation for the junior championship in
Taipei staged in August or September," said Harry.

In the junior or AAA category, Indonesia reached its best
achievement as the sixth finisher in the 1998 championship in
Osaka, Japan. (nvn)