SEA Games sprint queen seeks training in United States

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (JP): Irene Truitje Joseph was lauded on Sunday after becoming the country's first runner to win the women's 100-meter dash at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Irene's heroic effort turned the tables on pre-race favorite and world number 13 Trecia Robert of Thailand. The Thai was also seeking to end her country's 12 year wait for the fastest woman of the region title long held by the Philippines.

Irene ran 11.56 seconds, slicing Henny Maspaetella's 14-year- old national record by 11 hundredths of a second.

There was a victory celebration on the pitch, with Indonesian officials and journalists cheering on the new sports heroine. National Sports Council (KONI) chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar was among the jubilant supporters.

"I'm very happy," Irene said as she fielded a barrage of questions from Indonesian journalists.

Irene, the youngest of eight children, was born in Waipirit, East Nusa Tenggara, on Oct. 14, 1981. She started to run on the track in the third grade of elementary school.

Her father Max Joseph and mother Yuliana encouraged their daughter. In 1994 Irene was admitted to the national training center in Jakarta.

Irene said the Sunday newspapers had reported that Thailand was poised to win the gold.

"That news motivated me to fight it out. I was sure I could do the same."

Irene now is eying more prestigious honors, particularly the Asian Games gold medal.

"I want to follow in the footstep of Kak (big sister) Supriati (Sutono)." Supriati earned Indonesia its second Asian Games track and field gold medal in Bangkok last year. The first gold was won by Muhammad Sarengat in 1962.

Irene said she was hoping the Indonesian Amateur Athletics Association (PASI) would give her a chance to undergo an overseas stint in Houston in the United States.

PASI sent some athletes to Houston prior to the 1997 SEA Games. They trained at the Tom Telez camp for nine months. Telez is the coach of former Olympic gold medalist and living track legend Carl Lewis.

Irene, a student at Mustopo University in South Jakarta, listed her hobbies as singing, traveling and listening to music.

Asked whether she had a special friend, Irene said she did not want to have a boyfriend who might pose a hurdle to her career.

"He must be able to support my career. Otherwise, it's better for me not to have a boyfriend."

She attributed her success partly to her motto: "discipline, hard work and prayer is a must." (yan)