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.