Supriati wins historic Asian Games gold medal

Supriati wins historic Asian Games gold medal

By Primastuti Handayani

BANGKOK (JP): Indonesia's Supriati Sutono carved out a piece
of history as she stormed to victory in the women's 5,000 meters
at the Asian Games on Friday, ending Indonesia's 36-year gold-
medal drought in the quadrennial event's track and field
competition.

Supriati showed remarkable fortitude to come from behind in
the final 100 meters to overtake Indian pacesetter Sunita Rani,
but almost blew her brilliant effort when she slowed down as she
reached the finish line.

The 26-year-old army sergeant fell as she crossed the finish,
apparently unaware that she had notched a historic win. A photo
finish revealed that Supriati won the neck-and-neck race in 15
minutes 54.45 seconds, just two hundredths of a second ahead of
Rani.

The bronze went to Japanese Michiko Shimizu who finished a
distant third in 15:55.36. Prerace favorite Wang Chunmei of
China, who was expected to emulate her compatriot and Asian
record holder Wang Junxia, managed only fourth after a slip five
laps from the finish.

"I was really exhausted. I thought I was about to collapse as
the finish neared," Supriati said of the dramatic finale. "I
intentionally forced myself to sprint to win at least by a
chest."

Indonesia took its first gold medal ever in Asiad track and
field in 1962 in Jakarta through Mohammad Sarengat, who snatched
a double in the men's 100m and 110m hurdles. The country's last
track and field medal came in the 1978 Asiad when Carolina
Reuwpassa finished third in the women's 200m.

Sarengat, who is secretary to chef de mission of the
Indonesian team, was among those who witnessed the historic win.
Most of the Indonesian sports officials, including National
Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar, however, had opted
to go to Pattaya to watch the beach volleyball competition.

Nobody, including Supriati herself, expected the diminutive
Cilacap, Central Java runner who was making her Asiad debut to
pull off a major shock on the track. The winner of three gold
medals in the 1997 Southeast Asian Games managed to finish only
fifth in the 10,000m last week.

"I just hoped to play second fiddle when I launched my last
attack in the final 100 meters. I didn't really care about the
outcome," Supriati said.

A jubilant Sarengat said: "I'm very happy and proud because
I'm not the only Indonesian to have won an Asiad gold medal.
Supriati's win proves that our country has talent to challenge
the rest of Asia."

Supriati could not stop herself crying when the Indonesian
national anthem was played during the medal presentation
ceremony.

Joining her in tears were Sarengat, Supriati's coach Nicky
Patiasina and Indonesian chef de mission Hindarto.

"Before the race, I just asked her to improve her best time. I
never imagined she could win a medal, let alone a gold," Nicky
said.

Supriati never looked like being a medal contender when the
16-strong field set out as she found herself in the rear group
behind Chinese and Japanese runners. She later said that it was a
part of her strategy to test her strength against the favorites.

The Indonesian moved up to the leading pack with Wang, Japan's
Shimizu and Megumi Tanaka and Hong Myong of North Korea five laps
before the finish.

Rani broke away from the group with 200 meters left. The
Indian maintained her lead until only a few meters away from the
gold, when Supriati sneaked past her.

Also in the day, Japan's Koji Ito completed a golden treble in
style by winning the men's 200m to add to his 100m and 4 x 100m
relay victories. No one in the Asian Games 47-year history has
achieved that feat.

Ito finished in a meet record of 20.25 seconds to give his
country its 11th track and field gold medal.

But China's Li Xuemei, dubbed the candidate for Asian queen of
the track tag, failed in her bid for an identical hat trick in
the women's events when she lost out to Sri Lanka's Damayanthi
Darsha over 200m by just five hundredths of a second.

China won the gold medal race over Japan 12-11 with victories
in the men's 50 kilometer walk and the women's triple jump.