Sayumin eyes a gold medal this time

Sayumin eyes a gold medal this time

JAKARTA (JP): Sayumin Teng has won silver medals at each of
the past four SEA Games; he has the right to be a little jaded
with the color.

"No more silver. This year I have to earn the gold. I'll be
ashamed if I go home with another silver," said the snooker
player.

Sayumin, who was born in Jambi on Nov. 22, 1967, has competed
in the biennial event since the Manila Games in 1991. He played
nine ball before switching to snooker, but the top spot has so
far eluded him.

He will likely meet Kwan Poomjang and Paitoon Phonboon in
Brunei Darussalam.

Sayumin developed an interest in the game while studying
economics at Trisakti University.

"My friends and I used to hang around in pool halls back in
1989. There was a student championship and luckily I won it. We
still played on the seven feet tables. In 1990, I switched to
playing the nine feet tables.

"After that, I competed in the national championships in 1990
and I won it. Since then, I've always been called up for national
training for the SEA Games," he said last week.

Commenting on the switch from nine ball to snooker, Sayumin
said: "If I play pool, I can't stand the environment. Pool
players usually smoke and drink, while I don't. I think playing
snooker is much healthier, because we play in an air-conditioned
room."

Sayumin had an uphill task convincing his parents that not all
billiard and snooker players were disreputable.

"They had the wrong impression at first, because they equated
pool halls in the city with cigarettes, alcohol and gambling. But
since I won at the SEA Games -- although they were only silver
medals -- they have begun to support me."

Sayumin complimented the new chairman of the Indonesian
Billiards and Snooker Association (POBSI), Putera Astaman, who is
urging private station RCTI to air snooker competitions.

"So far only TVRI broadcasts the national snooker master
competition," he said. "If another TV station can air the
competition, there will be many advertisements. It will be a good
start for developing billiards and snooker in the country."

Sayumin said he had difficulty holding down a job due to the
long-term training commitment necessary for the Games.

"I used to work for Astra before I graduated from school. But
after I joined the training program, I resigned. I felt bad
having to skip work for months, even though my boss gave me
permission."

In 1997 Sayumin opened a pool hall with some friends, but he
had to close down the business because his place was used for
training.

"Although POBSI and the National Sports Council (KONI) paid
for the training, it was not enough to cover maintenance and
operation fees."

But Sayumin still retains a dream of running his own business.
Once the SEA Games are over, the 31-year-old bachelor plans to
open a pool hall in Denpasar.(yan)