Shilla aims to improve mark in World Cup

Shilla aims to improve mark in World Cup

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia's markswoman Yosehpin Shilla Prasasti is set take
part in the World Cup series in Changwon, South Korea, in April
2005, hoping that she will be able to break her personal mark.

Shilla was Indonesia's only shooter at the Olympic Games in
Athens in August where she scored her best of 392.

"My best score to date is 392 and I hope I can break it next
year at the World Cup," she said on Thursday on the sidelines of
a training session at the Bung Karno Shooting Range.

Shilla was placed 22nd in the women's 10-meter air rifle
competition in Athens, but, compared to her Asian competitors,
the 22-year-old shooter from Central Java ranked sixth.

Shilla will be competing in Korea along with teammates Dinnie
Ary W. and Gusti Ayu Indradewi.

The three are in a shortlist of best athletes from 12 sports
being groomed in the Indonesia Awakens (IA) program to enhance
Indonesia's medal chances at the 2006 Asian Games.

After Korea, the three shooters will also take part in the
following world series in Muenchen, Germany and Milan, Italy,
both in June.

National coach Bimmy Bimo Setiawan said that their
participation in the three series of the World Cup would make
them thoroughly tested for international events.

"Our shooters already have good skills. They just lack
international experience as they easily weaken under high
pressure during matches," he said.

With a mark of 392, like Shilla scored in Athens, the shooters
should have a good chance of winning a medal at the next SEA
Games in Manila, in December. However, Bimmy said they needed to
increase to 396 in order to make their edge in the 2006 Asian
Games in Qatar.

The shooters will shift their training from Jakarta to
Semarang, Central Java, at the beginning of next year in order to
acquire new and refreshing environment during training.