Swimmers withdrawn from overseas training

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian National Swimming Federation has withdrawn 10 swimmers from their overseas training in another sign that the country's sports organizations are feeling the pinch of the prolonged economic crisis.

The federation's technical director, Lukman Niode, told reporters yesterday that the rupiah's sharp plunge against the U.S. dollar had made it impossible for the organization to cover the swimmer's daily expenses during their stay in the United States and Australia.

"We will have to find new sponsors in order to send them back there," Lukman said.

Men's swimmers Richard Sam Bera, Wisnu Wardhana, Albert C. Sutanto, Felix C. Sutanto, Denny Kurniawan and Audi Oktavian and women's swimmers Olga Halim, Rita Mariani and Elsa Manora Nasution left for the U.S. last year, while women's swimmer Chaterine Surya went to Australia.

The overseas stint was part of their long-term training program ahead of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. They are now being groomed for the 13th Asian Games in December.

Of the 10 swimmers, Wisnu and Meitry earned scholarships to study in the U.S., while Denny's parents paid for his education.

Lukman said the swimming body paid US$10,000 for each of the swimmers' daily expenses last semester.

"We had to provide that amount when the rupiah dropped to a historic low of 17,200 against the U.S. dollar in February. Can you believe that?" he said.

The swimmers flew back home recently for their summer break.

Lukman said the withdrawal was regrettable because some of the swimmers had displayed significant progress during their overseas stint.

Albert, who won one gold, four bronzes and a silver in the 19th SEA Games here last year, clocked 2 minutes and 2.1 seconds in the 200m butterfly and 55.4 seconds in the 100m butterfly during the State Championships in California in May. Both times are new U.S. national marks for junior college.

His brother Felix, winner of two golds and two bronzes in the SEA Games, beat another U.S. college national record in the 200m backstroke by clocking 2.03.1. The old mark was set in 1994 by Lenny Krayzelburg, a member of the U.S. team in the just- concluded Goodwill Games.

Felix also set a new national record of 55.7 seconds in the 100m backstroke, shaving 2.5 seconds off the old mark set by Lukman. Felix swam for 2.04.4 to establish a new California record in the 200m individual medley.

Lukman said the federation would select deserving swimmers for the Asiad in October. (yan)