Sports council unveils Indonesia's Asian Games medal winning hopefuls
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The National Sports Council (KONI) announced on Friday a list of 41 top-priority athletes for Indonesia's sporting campaign in the upcoming 2002 Asian Games in Pusan, South Korea.
The council has actually identified around 150 athletes to compete in 17 events. But assessed by their medal prospects, the priority appointees are considered to stand a better chance than the rest of the field.
Training director Imron ZS said that the 41 athletes, from 12 of the 17 sports federations, had met the requirements set by KONI of having the prospect of either winning medals or reaching Asia's top five placings.
"Those athletes have gone through tight scrutiny by their respective sports authorities with regard to the criteria outlined by KONI, based on their performance records," Imron said in a release, copies of which were made available to the media at KONI's headquarters.
The top-listed athletes will be entitled to training privileges, which include overseas stints.
The badminton federation takes the largest proportion of the list, with 14 players, followed by tennis, with six athletes. Cycling and weightlifting contribute four each.
The other prioritized disciplines include tae kwon do (3), boxing (2), karate (2), wushu (2), rowing (1), swimming (1), gymnastics (1), and wind-surfing (1).
The large number of priority athletes from badminton signified Indonesia's best odds in the Asiad, which will offer seven gold medals in the badminton competition.
Indonesia looks to have its best hopes in the men's singles, men's doubles, mixed doubles and men's team events.
Squad members outside the 41-strong list, along with those from five sports teams that include judo, billiards, archery, athletics and beach volleyball, are rated as second priority layer athletes.
The first group of athletes has been in training since Nov. 1, while the second starts in January.
KONI had earlier planned to prepare for 19 events, but shooting and fencing withdrew from the contingent.
At the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok Indonesia won six golds, 10 silvers and 11 bronze medals from five events. The gold-winning events were badminton (2), tennis (1), athletics (1), windsurfing (1) and karate (1).
The 41-top priority list
Badminton
(Men): 1. Hendrawan (East Java), 2. Marlev Mainaky (N. Maluku), 3. Rony Agustinus (Jakarta), 4. Johan Hadikusuma (E. Java), 5. Candra Wijaya (W. Java), 6. Sigit Budiarto (Yogyakarta), 7. Halim Heryanto (W. Java), 8. Tri Kusharjanto (E. Java), 9. Bambang Suprianto (Jakarta), 10. Nova Widianto (Jakarta), (Women): 11. Emma Ermawati (West Java), 12. Minarti Timur (E. Java), 13. Vita Marissa (Jakarta), 14. Deyana Lomban (N. Sulawesi)
Tennis
(Men): 1. Suwandi (West Java), 2. Peter Handoyo (E. Java), (Women): 3. Wynne Prakusya (C. Java), 4. Romana Tejakusuma (E. Java), 5. Yayuk Basuki (Jakarta), 6. Angelique Wijaya (W. Java)
Tae Kwon Do
(Men): 1. Satrio Rahadani (E. Java), 2. Derry Darmansyah (C. Java), (Women): 3. E. Margareth Dien (W. Java)
Cycling
(Men): 1. Tonton Susanto (W. Java), 2. Sugianto Setiawan (E. Java), (Women): 3. Santia Tri Kusuma (E. Java), 4. Uyun Muzizah (E. Java).
Weightlifting
(Men): 1. Erwin Abdullah (S. Sulawesi), (Women): 2. Sri Indriyani (Lampung), 3. Lisa Rumbewas (S. Kalimantan), 4. Rosmaniar (Jambi).
Boxing
1. Bonix Saweho (N. Sulawesi), 2. Bara Gomies (Maluku).
Wushu
(Women): 1. Susyana (Jakarta), 2. Nurdiana (N. Sumatra).
Karate
(Men): 1. Moh. Hasan Basri (E. Java), (Women): 2. Jenny Zeannet (Jakarta).
Rowing
Lasmin (SE. Sulawesi)
Swimming
Richard Sam Bera (Jakarta)
Gymnastics
Jonathan Sianturi (Jakarta)
Wind-surfing
Oka Sulaksana (Bali)