RI top athletes brace for Olympics

RI top athletes brace for Olympics

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Swimming Federation will prepare swimmer Richard Sam Bera and diver Temmy Kusuma for the Atlanta Olympic Games in July.

Wardojo Kusumo, the federation's training director, said here on Thursday that the association would seek approval of its proposal from the National Sports Council.

"If the council approves, we'll start the intensive preparation this month," he said.

Richard, winner of three gold medals at the just concluded 18th Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, is still in a training program in the United States. Temmy, who won a diving gold medal at the SEA Games, will join Richard for training overseas.

Wardojo said that performance-wise the two athletes are the most appropriate to don the national colors at the world's biggest sporting event.

"Since 1987, they always earned gold medals in SEA Games," he said. "They are expected to at least make it to the semifinals in the Olympics."

Speaking about the association's national congress slated for Jan. 16 and Jan. 17 here, Wardojo said the national swimming body needs its management improved.

"There are many weaknesses in the management of the association as far as I see. Many departments fail to carry out their programs as expected," he told Antara news agency.

The congress will be highlighted with the election of the swimming federation's chairman for the next four-year term. Wardojo suggested that candidates know and love swimming very much.

Incumbent chairman, Sanyoto Sastrowardoyo, who is also minister of investment, looks set to win a second four-year term. But Sanyoto has yet to state he will run for the post again.

Other heavyweight candidates include Siti Hediyanti Prabowo, one of the President's daughters, Rahardi Ramelan, deputy of the National Development Planning Board, and Setyanto P. Santosa, director of the state-owned telecommunications company, PT Telkom. (05)