Singapore triumphs at ASEAN BC 2004
Singapore triumphs at ASEAN BC 2004
Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Nusa Dua, Bali
Singaporean bodybuilders emerged the overall winners in the
7th South East Asian Bodybuilding Championship 2004, which ended
in Bali on Saturday.
Singapore won three gold, three silver and two bronze medals.
They won the golds in the 65kg, 80kg and 90kg categories.
Myanmar brought home two golds in the 55kg through Zaw Wan and
the 85kg courtesy of Min Zaw Oo, who was later declared Mr. Bali.
Two golds were also won by Vietnam while Thailand returned
home with one gold.
Indonesia had five contenders in the finals but only Iswinando
and Indiana came down off the stage with medals -- bronzes in the
75kg and 90kg classes respectively.
The other three Indonesians, Ketut Arsa in the 55kg,
Syarifuddin Naani in the 65kg and Bobby in the 70kg classes
finished empty-handed.
Ketut Arsa admitted to being overawed by his rivals after
witnessing how they performed on the stage.
"Aware that my chances were slim, I felt down. I was so
nervous that I shaved my head," he said while pointing at his
almost completely shaven head.
Indonesian trainer Yopi admitted that the bodybuilders from
neighboring countries such as Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand
looked far better than the local athletes.
But Yopi signaled that if Indonesia had competed with its top
athletes they would probably have ended up in a stronger
position.
A number of strong local athletes have been deprived of the
chance of participating in the tournament following a dispute
between the newly-established Indonesian Body-Building Federation
(FBI) and the long established PABBSI, the weightlifting and
powerlifting body, which also used to supervise bodybuilding.
"Our top bodybuilders are not allowed to take part in this
championship. If they do, they will be banned from the National
Games in September," Yopi said.
Indonesian team manager Irwan Siregar hoped that the National
Sports Council (KONI) would recognize FBI, currently chaired by
political activists Roy BB Janis.