Sepak Takraw body eyes two SEA Games gold medals
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Sepak Takraw Association expects two gold medals from the women's regu (squad of three teams) at the 19th Southeast Asian Games here next year.
Beddu Amang, the association's chairman, said yesterday that the association is aiming for two silvers from the men's regu.
The decentralized training program, in which 36 athletes are participating, is scheduled to take place from Nov. 20, 1996, to Jan. 31, 1997, in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, and Pekanbaru, Riau.
The association plans to select 18 of the 36 players in February and send them to Jakarta for a centralized session.
Meanwhile, Beddu said that the association expects its team to get through the final of the first Junior Sepak Takraw World Championship in Bangkok, Thailand.
"I hope all athletes will stay calm and not to be too nervous during their matches so they can get to the final," Beddu said yesterday.
He also said that all players must prepare both physically and mentally for the championship, which takes place from Nov. 22 to Nov. 25.
Beddu said that based on the team's performances, the association is aiming for the silver medal.
"But Insya Allah (with God's blessing), the team could win the gold, just as the seniors did in Hanoi recently," he said.
The team is to undergo a preparatory sparring session with the senior team in Riau for four days. The association's secretary- general, Mannawi, said that the sparring is expected to help the juniors improve their technical and strategic skills.
Indonesia sees Thailand and Malaysia as its toughest rivals in the championship.
Antara reported that the United States of America, Japan, Finland, Australia, China, South Korea, India and Sri Lanka are scheduled to participate in the championship.
Rowing
The Indonesian Rowing Association, meanwhile, is calling 200 athletes to join the training session at the Jatiluhur dam in Purwakarta, West Java, for the 19th Southeast Asian Games here next year.
The association's executive director Soetono Goenadi said yesterday that the association will select 94 of the 200 athletes for the Games squad.
Thirty-one watersports gold medals, in rowing, canoeing, kayaking and traditional boat racing, will be up for grabs at the Games.
Soetono told Antara that the association will not only train the athletes intensively but also send them abroad for overseas stints. Traditional boat-race athletes are due to take part in the World Championship in Hong Kong in June 1997.
"We hope that we can retain our champion's title in the competition in Hong Kong," Soetono said, adding that Myanmar is likely to be Indonesia's strongest challenger. (yan)