RI to send only one lifter to Atlanta

JAKARTA (JP): An Indonesian strongman will be trying to lift the country's pride at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, despite dim prospects of winning a medal.

Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association chairman Soesilo Soedarman told reporters yesterday he was still unsure about whom he will send to Atlanta. "A selection process is needed to determine the right lifter," he said.

Yet, one thing is sure. "We will not choose a lifter in the weight class of 70kg and above," said the newly reelected chairman. Soesilo was formally inducted as the association's chairman by National Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar yesterday.

Soesilo said the lower weight classes were often ignored by the world's weightlifting powerhouse nations, such as China, which tends to set its eyes more on the heavyweight divisions. Thus, the coordinating minister for political affairs and security said, "lower weight classes are where our opportunities lie."

Coach Harry Wibowo said that two lifters -- Hari Setiawan (54kg) and Erwin Abdullah (64kg) -- will most likely represent the country in the Atlanta Games.

Hari's best lift was 255kg. It was his total lift, which consists of the clean and jerk and snatch lift scores, in the 18th Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, last year. This means that in Asia, Hari places third behind two Chinese lifters, whose best lifts were 272.5kg and 232.5kg respectively.

Erwin's best total lift was 295kg, which he made in Chiang Mai. In Asia, Erwin also ranks third behind one Korean lifter (whose best lift was 310kg) and one Chinese lifter with a best lift of 305kg.

The National Sports Council has been instructed by President Soeharto to send only athletes who have the potential to earn at least a bronze medal at the Olympics.

Soesilo, however, insisted that his lifters deserved being sent to Atlanta. "Aren't they worth sending after all their rigorous training?" he said.

Indonesia has recently won only a single Olympic weightlifting berth. The seat was won at the Asian men's weightlifting championships in Yachiyo, Japan (April 4 to April 9), after 10 Indonesian lifters scored a combined total lift of 225 points.

The Yachiyo championships, serving as the final Olympic qualifying round for Asian lifters, offered a total of five Olympic slots. Two of them went to North Korea. The other three were shared by Iran, Indonesia and Thailand.

Referring to his second chairmanship term, Soesilo said he was happy that the Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association and its athletes had made great progress during his tenure. He pointed out that after 53 years of existence, the association finally has its own centralized training center called Gajah Sena in Bogor.

Meanwhile, the association's director in charge of powerlifting, Warsito, said he would send six female and six male lifters to Alma Alta, Kazakhstan, for the Asian Powerlifting Championships from May 1 to May 4. (arf)