Subronto named SEA Games cycling training director

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Cycling Association has named businessman Subronto Laras as training director for the 19th SEA Games in October.

Subronto, president director of PT Indomobil, was surprised by the offer but accepted it.

"I hope good cooperation among athletes, coaches and officials will help me achieve Indonesia's target at the Games, that is to win as many golds as possible," he said.

In the upcoming Games, which will be staged from Oct. 11 to Oct. 19, 16 gold medals will be at stake in cycling. The National Sports Council has asked the association to bring home 10 golds.

Association chairman Harry Sapto said that Subronto's position as training director was to meet the association's target at the biennial event.

"I believe Subronto has the capability to realize this target," he said.

The Games will feature three cycling disciplines; track races offering eight golds, road races with four golds up for grabs and cross country mountain biking (MTB) offering four golds.

Didi Soedijanto, the association's secretary-general and the training project officer, said Indonesia would have a great chance to make a clean sweep in the mountain bike races -- men's and women's cross country and men's and women's downhill -- which are being contested for the first time at the Games.

"At the Asian championship last year, Indonesia only lost to Japan. Other SEA Games participants were left far behind," he said.

The country's other best hopes for golds are in the men's sprint, men's 1,000 meter individual time trial (ITT), 4,000m team pursuit and the women's 3,000m individual pursuit.

The association is also optimistic that its cyclists will win the men's 50km ITT, 170km Individual Road Race and the women's 70km Individual Road Race.

In the women's events, Indonesia is looking to win the 3000m individual pursuit, 20km road race and 25km ITT.

The association plans to send 10 cyclists - Teguh Eko Pambudi, Heryanto, Suwandra, M Nur, Hengki Setiawan, Henry Setiawan, Yudi Febriyanto, Dedy Efendi, Andri Sudrajat and Nurochman - to the Asian Championship in Teheran, Iran, from June 14 to June 21.

The 10 cyclists will compete at the 1,000m ITT, sprint, 4,000m individual pursuit, 400m individual pursuit and Olympic sprint.

The association decided to exclude Dadang Haris Purnama from the team because of his poor form. (yan)