Table tennis association names SEA Games players

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Table Tennis Association (PTMSI) named its five men and five women players for the Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Four of the 10 players -- Deddy Da Costa, Ismu Harinto, Fauziah Yulianti and Rossy Pratiwi Dipoyanti -- qualified without selection.

"The four are senior players, have experience and the best among others. Therefore, we admitted them without selection. They will be the backbone to win gold medals in the Games," said training project officer Ananda Isman Tuesday as quoted by Antara.

The other six players was determined in a round-robin selection at the Surya Kediri club last Saturday.

Dian David Jacobs, Reno Handoyo and Yon Mardiono finished as the top three in the men's side, outclassing teammates Zainudin, Jelly Da Costa, Budiono, Donald Jackson and Nanang Gatot.

In the women's side, Putri Hasibuan, Christine Ferliana and Nilasari Jusma qualified after ousting Santi Febriani, Nuni Sugiani, Rury Raung, Ratna Dewi and Tri Ayu.

"The 10-player composition is final. Those who failed to qualify will return to their respective provinces," he said.

Both teams line-up was similar to the teams competing at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan, in April.

Ananda also said he had canceled the plan to warm up in China in August.

"We have to cancel our overseas stint plan because China is also having a domestic competition at the same time," he said.

PTMSI is currently learning warming-up techniques in Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong and South Korea.

The decentralized training program will take place in Surya Kediri club following an evaluation of Indonesia's failure at the World Championships where the training took place in Ragunan Sports School in South Jakarta.

Indonesia is aiming to bring home two of seven golds at stake in the Sept. 8 to Sept. 17 Games. Two years ago, the Anton Suseno and Hadiyudo partnership took the sole men's doubles gold, ruining Singapore's aim of making a clean sweep after the neighboring country managed to collect six golds. (yan)