RI trimming down for SEAG boxing events

RI trimming down for SEAG boxing events

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is trimming down its boxing team for
the 18th Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, following
its mixed showing at recent tryouts.

Executive chairman of the Indonesian Amateur Boxing
Association Imron ZS said here yesterday that the association
will make some modifications to the team line-up in the one and a
half months remaining by dropping more nominees from its list.

Imron was commenting on the poor performance of three national
boxers groomed for the Games in the China Open championships from
Oct. 16 to Oct. 21 in Beijing. Lightweight Victor Ramos, light
welterweight Bara Gomies and welterweight Aswin Cabui all made an
early exit.

Thailand, with second stringers, took one gold medal and one
bronze.

"We are thinking of efficiency. We'd rather field let's say
nine boxers whom we believe can win medals," Imron said. The
association surprisingly axed King's Cup mini-flyweight gold
medalist Hermensen Ballo, saying that the boxer was unable to
maintain his ideal weight.

Imron said the association has never been able to fulfill the
maximum quota of 12 boxers for the SEA Games.

"We take the SEA Games so seriously that those who just seek
experience there do not deserve places on the national squad,"
Imron said.

There are 11 boxers left now and the association has vowed to
impose stricter requirements on the trainees.

"The three boxers' chances to make a trip to Chiang Mai are
still open wide, but they have to prove they can surpass our
heavier tests," Imron said.

The association had planned to send its boxers to Australia
for their final tryout, but it is already short of funds.

Indonesia has set a modest target of two golds in the Dec. 9
to 17 Games, the same number it collected at the previous meet
two years ago in Singapore.

"It's the fairest objective since we have never taken more
than two golds in the last three Games," Imron said.

Also yesterday, chairman of the Indonesian Judo Association,
AM Hendropriyono, delayed his announcement of the definite team
line-up for the Games.

"We are going to pick only the best," Hendro said. "My
athletes performed well during their tryouts, but we cannot
choose them all," he added.

Hendro and his staff are expecting to enlist the SEA Games
team after the national judo athletes return from their Asian
outings next week.

A total of 20 male and female judo athletes are now touring
Japan, Chinese Taipei and South Korea. They will spar again with
South Korean counterparts at their base camp in Ciloto, West Java
shortly after the trips.

Indonesia is hoping to maintain its gold medal performance at
the 1993 Games, when it scooped seven.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Basketball Association pulled off a
meeting with the National Sports Council yesterday, when it was
scheduled to submit the line-ups of the national men's and
women's teams.

The association will shortlist 15 male and 14 female cagers to
form two six-member teams, one for each gender. The men will have
their sights on the silver and the women will be shooting for the
bronze.

National coach Rastafari said on Tuesday that he was worried
about the Filipino men's team, the defending champion, parading
its professional players during the Games. (arf/amd)