Sports bodies start to name athletes for SEA Games

Sports bodies start to name athletes for SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian sports organizations are beginning to
list their athletes for the Kuala Lumpur 2001 Southeast Asian
(SEA) Games as the closing date for entry approaches.

The Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding
Association (PABBSI) named its lifters for the biennial event,
and said its target was to win a minimum of five gold medals.

"PABBSI expects they will be able to fulfill our target to win
five gold medals, three silver medals and five bronze medals,"
the official responsible for athlete development, Steve Tengko,
said on Tuesday.

"But I can't elaborate on the medal distribution because it is
part of our strategy. Our opponents can prevent us from reaching
the target if I come out and list it (the medal distribution)."

PABBSI will rely on eight male lifters and five female lifters
to reach its target.

The male lifters are Yadi Setiadi in the 56-kilogram weight
division, Gustar and Nusianto (62-kg), Misdan Yunip (69-kg),
Erwin Abdullah (77-kg), Yudi Suhartono (85-kg), Junaedi (105-kg)
and Joko Hanggono in the over-105-kg weight division.

The lifters in the women's team are Rosmainar and Sri
Indriyani in the 48-kg weight division, Winarni and Lisa Rumbewas
(53-kg) and Tanti Pratiwi in the 58-kg division.

"Navy Capt. Gandrung will act as the team manager. The coaches
are Imron Rosadi, Eddy Santoso, Lukman, Dwiyanto and Achmaddin,"
said Steve, who also serves as the coaches' coordinator.

The Indonesian Tae Kwon Do Association (TI) also announced
some replacements to its core team.

"Inosensius Boro will replace M Dalam Iman, Derry will replace
Wildan, Charles Assa will replace Taufik and Bayu Firmansyah will
replace Joko. We will announce the new lineup on Wednesday," TI
secretary-general Adrian Luwowa told Antara news agency.

"Most of the substitutes are veteran fighters who have a
better fighting spirit, and have the same technical skills."

Adrian also said TI was still aiming for four gold medals from
16 events in Kuala Lumpur.

Separately, the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) has
yet to announce who it will send to the SEA Games.

"I haven't received any list yet but I will make it public as
soon as the list is approved by PBSI chairman Subagyo
Hadisiswoyo," the association's secretary-general, Leo Chandra
Wiranata, said.

Interviewed separately, the training director of the
Indonesian Badminton Center, Christian Hadinata, said he already
had the names of the athletes who would go to the SEA Games but
would not make any announcement until Subagyo's approval had been
received.

"I already have the names of the shuttlers, eight men's and
eight women's shuttlers. Currently we also still have six reserve
shuttlers," he told The Jakarta Post by phone.

"PBSI will evaluate the shuttlers based on their results or
performances in several events. The shuttlers will participate in
several events in August as their final preparations."

Indonesia's top badminton players will take part in the 2000
World Grand Prix Final in Brunei from Aug. 8 to Aug. 12.

Those going to the event are men's singles players Hendrawan,
Marlev Mainaky and Budi Santoso; women's singles Lidya
Djaelawidjaya and Ellen Angelina; men's doubles Tony Gunawan and
Candra Wijaya, and Halim Haryanto and Sigit Budiarto; and mixed
doubles Tri Kusheryanto and Minarti Timur. Wahyu Agung and Emma
Ermawati are reserves for the mixed doubles.

PBSI will also send 36 badminton players to the US$120,000
Singapore Open from Aug. 13 to Aug. 19. Most of these shuttlers
are second-tier players and juniors.

The last warm-up event for the SEA Games is the $170,000 JVC
Asian Badminton Championships, which will be held in Manila from
Aug. 20 to Aug. 26. (nvn)