Runner Ruwiyati gets approval for training

Runner Ruwiyati gets approval for training

JAKARTA (JP): After concerns over her health, long-distance
runner Ruwiyati has been given approval to train for the 19th
Southeast Asian (SEA) Games here in October.

Indonesia's training director, Djoko Pramono, said yesterday
that Ruwiyati "can join in the training, but she's not 100
percent cured".

He said Ruwiyati, who has osteoporosis, had been training at
the Lokomotif Klub in Salatiga, Central Java, and had been given
a health clearance by the National Sports Council's Central Java
chapter.

Djoko said Ruwiyati's condition would be discussed Saturday by
medical teams from the University of Indonesia, the Indonesian
Amateur Athletics Association and the National Sports Council.

Ruwiyati's coach, Alwi Mugiyanti, and Indonesia's athletics
training director, Tigor M. Tanjung, are expected be involved in
the discussions.

"I think Ruwiyati is better undergoing medical treatment here
because Jakarta has better doctors and equipment," Djoko said.

Ruwiyati, who won the marathon gold medal at the 1995 SEA
Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, was told last year that she would
not be able to join the Games training because of her health.

Meanwhile, Djoko said the Indonesian Judo Association hoped
that the number of its athletes would not be reduced.

"Right now, the association is grooming 30 athletes. It should
be reduced by 16 on Aug. 1. I can't decide right now but probably
I can add four more," he said.

Djoko, who observed judo training in Ciloto, West Java, on
Tuesday, urged coaches to put the finishing touches on their
athletes in the three months before the Games.

"For example, if an athlete moves very quickly, coaches can
teach them to move faster," he said.

"I believe other participating countries' athletes are also
working hard for the Games. We have to boost ourselves to take
over the overall title," he said.

In other fighting sport developments 17 taekwondo athletes
will leave for South Korea this weekend for a one-month
preparation.

Taekwondo training director Rushied Siregar said yesterday the
nine men and eight women would work on technique in Seoul and
Ichun City.

At a meeting to farewell the athletes yesterday, council
chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar urged the Indonesian Taekwondo
Association to extend the athletes' stay to two months.

Siregar said "we'd love to stay but it depends on the
association's budget. For a month in South Korea, it has to spend
Rp 133 million (US$55,200)."

Indonesia expects to win five of the 16 gold medals on offer
at the Games, which will be staged here from Oct. 11 to Oct. 19.

At the last Games, Indonesian won four gold, three silver and
three bronze medals in tae kwon do.

Siregar said Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand would be
Indonesia's major threats.

The men's team includes heavyweight Andri Halim, featherweight
Pino Indra Perdana and bantamweight Dominggus Boro Wasanono, who
are expected to win gold medals.

The women who are expected to win gold medals are
middleweights Shinta Berliana Heru and Voppy Trisnawati. (yan)