Ruwiyati eyes a hat-trick at int'l marathon c'ships

Ruwiyati eyes a hat-trick at int'l marathon c'ships

JAKARTA (JP): Ruwiyati may be set to do a hat-trick in the
international marathon championships in Malang, East Java,
scheduled for Apr. 14, according to her coach Alwi Mugiyanti.

Alwi was quoted by Antara as saying in Salatiga, Central Java,
on Saturday that he hoped his charge would not just win the
competition but also that she would improve her time.

Ruwiyati's time last year was two hours, 46 minutes and 47
seconds. The diminutive 19-year-old has won the annual
competition twice running, in 1994 and last year.

Alwi said the marathon meet in Malang should serve as a warm-
up for Ruwiyati before a marathon championship in Japan, which is
scheduled on May 26.

Ruwiyati's performance in the 18th Southeast Asian Games in
Chiang Mai, Thailand, last year, qualifies her for an Olympic
berth in Atlanta but her age, 19, does not. Only players above 20
are eligible to compete in the Olympic Games as stipulated by the
International Ameteur Athletics Federation.

Ruwiyati's time in Chiang Mai was two hours, 34 minutes and 29
seconds. Prescribed time to qualify for the Atlanta Olympic Games
is two hours and 35 minutes.

According to Alwi, Ruwiyati was not too disappointed with the
situation, adding that she has been training hard to improve her
performance for the Malang marathon.

Ruwiyati lives and trains in the mountain resort of Kopeng in
Salatiga, Central Java. She will be fielded in the Malang meet
together with her training-mates Karminah, Dini, Nelis Herlinda
and Haryanti. (arf)