Sports bodies prepare for SEA Games
Sports bodies prepare for SEA Games
JAKARTA (JP): Five sports bodies reported their preparations
for the upcoming 19th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games to the National
Sports Council yesterday.
Muhammad Hindarto, the council's deputy for athlete
development, told reporters after the meeting that the five
bodies consulted their athlete programs and event preparations
for the biennial event.
"They reported the number of athletes for the long-term
national training, the training system and programs," he said.
Representatives from The Indonesian Track and Field
Association, the Indonesian Swimming Association, the Indonesian
Shooting Association, the Indonesian Boxing Association and the
Indonesian Gymnastics Association attended the meeting.
"All five bodies will arrange their respective training
programs after Oct. 25. The council will only give guidelines,
and each body will have to describe their programs," Hindarto
said.
The council will establish a temporary board consisting of six
experts to give a refresher course to coaches on the arrangement
of the training programs on Nov. 11 in Ciloto, West Java.
Eighty-two track and field athletes, 28 swimmers, 37 shooters,
33 boxers and 31 gymnasts are expected to take part in the
program.
"But we haven't yet decided whether to conduct centralized or
decentralized training. It depends on each body," Hindarto said.
Lukman Niode, an official of the swimming association, said
that 10 of the country's backbone swimmers will conduct overseas
stints.
Male swimmers Richard Sam Bera, Wisnu Wardhana, twins Felix
and Albert Sutanto and young hope Audi Oktavian, along with
female swimmers Elsa Manora Nasution, Olga Halim, Meitry
Widyastuti Pangestika and Rita Mariani, will go to the United
States. Only Catherine Surya will continue her stint in
Australia.
They will leave, hopefully, next month. Another 18 second
string swimmers will be trained here.
Indonesia only managed to grab four golds, nine silvers and 17
bronzes in the last SEA Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Host
Thailand dominated the pool by sweeping 22 golds, 19 silvers and
11 bronzes. A total of 39 medals are on offer next year.
Benny Mamotu, a shooting organization senior official, said
four Chinese coaches have been contracted to train military
officials at the Army's Strategic Reserves Command headquarters
in Cilodong, Bogor, West Java.
The program aims at blocking Thailand's bid to retain the
overall title. Shooting offers 42 gold medals in the next Games.
Last year, Indonesia was only able to bring home two golds,
three silvers and three bronze medals, compared to Thailand's 19
golds, 12 silvers and seven bronzes.
Didit Soedijoto, secretary-general of the boxing association,
said out of 33 boxers, only one could not take part in the
program due to his job promotion, and has to be replaced.
Seven boxers arrived yesterday. By Oct. 21, the association
expects all boxers will gather for the program at the Army's
Special Forces headquarters in Cijantung, East Jakarta.
Indonesia failed to win any gold medals and only earned five
silvers and three bronzes in the last Games. Thailand, one of
Asia's powerhouses in boxing, dominated the medal race by
collecting 11 golds and one bronze. (yan)