Susi, Yayuk and Ade Rai nominated for award
JAKARTA (JP): Three Indonesian athletes have been nominated for the Gillette World Champions Indonesia award: Susi Susanti (badminton), Yayuk Basuki (tennis) and Ade Rai (bodybuilding).
The nominees were selected by the Indonesian Sportswriters Association (SIWO) from a shortlist of 12 athletes.
"After a number of debates among the association members, we finally reached a decision on who to name as the three nominees," said Atal Depari, head of SIWO's Jakarta chapter.
The athlete who wins the Gillette award will receive a cash prize, although company representatives declined to disclose the amount.
Susi Susanti won gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. She was Indonesia's first woman shuttler to win the All England badminton championship, apart from holding a number of other titles in the course of her career. Susi's husband, Alan Budikusma, is also a gold medalist from the Barcelona games.
Yayuk is ranked as Indonesia's number one women's tennis player. She has competed in a number of international tournaments and is currently ranked 24th internationally. She is married to her coach Suhariyadi.
Ade is a top bodybuilder who in 1995 won the Southeast Asia bodybuilding championship in Singapore. He received the Best of the Best Muscle Mania award at Redondo Beach, California, in 1996. Ade is presently coaching young athletes in bodybuilding.
Appreciation
Renny A. Paryanto, business manager of PT Gillette Indonesia, said that the purpose of the Gillette World Champions Indonesia program was to express the company's appreciation towards athletes.
"Gillette World Champions Indonesia is a program to nominate the best Indonesian athlete. It will be decided by the people through a poll conducted from March to the end of May. This is the first such contest ever held in Indonesia," Renny said.
The Gillette World Champions Indonesia award is being offered in addition to the Gillette World Champions contest, which is being contested by athletes from Brazil, Panama, Turkey, the Philippines, Canada and Indonesia.
In promoting the World Champions Indonesia award, organizers are working with national television station RCTI, which is Gillette's media partner in Indonesia.
"For the past eight years RCTI has been devoted to the development of world sports in Indonesia through various national and international events. Gillette and RCTI have a joint commitment to holding the Gillette World Champions program in Indonesia," Renny said.
"People are asked to cast their vote for one of the three nominees via a closed envelope, stating their name, address and ID number and attaching a piece of a Gillette product," Renny said. "The letters should be mailed to P.O. Box 2323/JKS Jakarta 12023 not later than May 31, 1997."
Members of the public who participate in the program by casting votes will be eligible for prizes. The first prize is a return trip to Europe for two, while the second, third and fourth prizes are return trips for two to Australia, Bangkok and Singapore, respectively. Fifty participants will be awarded the fifth prize of Rp 500,000 in cash. (lnt)