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)