Table tennis hopes to serve up two golds
Table tennis hopes to serve up two golds
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Table Tennis Association (PTMSI)
has set its sight on two of the seven golds on offer in the 20th
Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam next month.
R.M. Noeryanto, PTMSI's official in charge of athletes
development, said on Wednesday the country's strongest chances
for gold were in the men's doubles and team events at the
biennial event from Aug. 7 to Aug. 15.
Malaysia's men's team and Singapore's women's team are rated
particularly strong rivals due to the presence of Chinese-born
players.
"Malaysia has two Chinese players on its men's team and
Singapore has three Chinese players on the women's team," he said
during the inauguration of the national contingent.
Noeryanto said Malaysia's Chinese-born team members was 1998
Asian junior champion Liu Jun-hui and Zhao Lin-jing. Both played
for Malaysia in the 1997 World Championships and 1998 Asian
Championships.
"We only have a slight chance in the men's singles because
their technical skills are better. We can only hope in the men's
doubles and team events," he said.
Singapore has Chinese citizen Jin Jun-hong, who is world
ranked eighth, Lee Jia-hwei and Liu Yuan-yuan.
"It would be difficult for our women's singles and team to
steal the gold because the Singapore team is very strong. Our
chance in the mixed doubles is only 50-50," he said.
Indonesian squad members are playing in five Chinese towns for
a months. They return to Jakarta on Aug. 2 and depart for Brunei
on Aug. 3.
PTMSI is grooming 10 players in Kediri, East Java. They are
Anton Suseno, Deddy Rudolf Da Costa, Ersan Sutanto Tan, Hadi
Judoprajitno, Muhammad Al Arkam in the men's team and Ceria
Nilasari Jusma, Christine Ferliana Santoso, Fauziah Yulianti,
Putri Septi Naulina Hasibuan and Rossi Pratiwi Dipoyanti on the
women's team.
Tennis
SEA Games tennis training director Martina Widjaja said on
Wednesday that training would be conducted at the PGN tennis hall
in West Jakarta despite the refusal of two men's players, Febi
Widhiyanto and Hendri Susilo Pramono, to stay at the training
complex.
Febi and Hendri earlier turned down the Indonesian Tennis
Association's (Pelti) offer to stay at PT PGN's dormitory and
said they preferred to stay at the home of their coach, Deddy
Prasetyo.
Martina said she had informed Pelti chairman Tanri Abeng and
Pelti's official in charge of athletes development, Sudjiono
Timan, about the matter.
"If the chairman says the two players should not be included
in the squad, then it's OK. Besides, what do we expect in the
men's division?"
The country has targeted three golds. Two years ago, national
players won golds in the women's singles, doubles and team events
and men's doubles and team.
Pelti picked Febi, Hendri, Suwandi and Yusmawan Fahmi for the
men's team and Wynne Prakusya, Romana Tedjakusuma, Liza Andriyani
and Wukirasih Sawondari on the women's team. They are coached by
Tintus Sulistyo Wibowo and Suharyadi. (ivy)