Timmy ready to win gold in SEA Games beach volleyball

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)