Timmy ready to win gold in SEA Games beach volleyball

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's best women's beach volleyball player, Ni Putu Timmy Yudhani, says she is over her injury and ready to grab the gold in the 19th SEA Games.

Timmy was released from hospital Sunday after being taken ill, suffering from sunstroke.

"My physical condition is getting better and I think I can practice now but I still have to take a rest today. I'll start practicing tomorrow morning," she said yesterday.

Team volleyball manager Ahmed Solihin said that Timmy's physical condition was being supervised by doctors from the volleyball team, the hospital and the National Sports Council.

"A doctor initially diagnosed her as suffering from typhoid but the test results showed that she wasn't suffering from the illness. She was in bad physical condition and had suffered sunstroke," he said.

Doctors and coaches have prepared a special program for Timmy to get her back into her practice routine.

Beach volleyball starts on Oct. 16 and ends on Oct. 19.

"Timmy still has time to recover," Ahmed said.

Indonesia's beach volleyball athletes hope to make a clean sweep of the two golds on offer. This is the first SEA Games to feature beach volleyball.

The Indonesian Volleyball Association will field its best athletes for the Games. Timmy and partner Engel Bertha Kaize, who qualified for the 1996 Olympic Games, and Yayah Rodiah/Agustin will team up in the women's side while Nur Mufid/Markoji, who also played in the Olympics, and Agus Salim/Irikhun Sofanna will team up in the men's competition.

Weightlifting head coach Harry Wibowo said that the weightlifters, who are being groomed in Bogor, will join the Indonesian contingent in the Hotel Atlet Century Park one day before the competition starts.

"If we stay in Bogor, my athletes can practice every day and they will be more disciplined than if they move in today," he said, adding that it was impossible to take the equipment to the hotel.

Harry expects his charges to win seven golds from the 17 on offer. In the last Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Indonesia won seven golds.

"We really hope Fatmawati (59kgs division) and Sri Indriyani (46kgs division) can win two golds in the Games," he said.

Both female athletes have broken world records in practice, but Harry declined to mention how much they had lifted. (yan)