Training adjusted during Ramadhan
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Athletes currently training under the Indonesia Awakens (IA) program are adjusting their workloads during Ramadhan.
Eleven karate athletes, who are training for the world championship in Mexico next month, have cut down their morning training by 30 minutes from two hours.
The evening session still lasts two hours overall, but a three-minute break is called every 15 minutes instead of 30 minutes.
Ramadhan will last from Oct. 15 to Nov. 13.
"We have modified our training to accommodate the athletes' physical condition. They lose energy when fasting," coach Ardy Ganggas said after Tuesday evening's training session here.
The IA program includes about 85 athletes from 11 sports under the National Sports Council (KONI). The goal of the program is to boost the country's medal prospects at the 2006 Asian Games.
Asmawi, the coordinator for cyclists and gymnasts, said cycling training sessions at Rawamangun, East Jakarta, included more rest breaks during Ramadhan.
"Training sessions are held twice a day, with a morning session from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and an evening session from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.," he said.
Paulus Levinus Pasurney, a senior official with the IA program, said sports organizations had the freedom to adjust their training programs during the fasting month.
He said it was important to keep athletes in good condition during Ramadhan.
"Coaches usually reduce the training loads by 50 percent in the first week of Ramadhan before increasing it to 75 percent ... or maybe 100 percent in the following weeks," he said.
The national athletics body, PASI, said it would ask athletes to remain in Jakarta during the Idul Fitri holiday, which comes at the end of Ramadhan, to maintain their condition.
PASI has three athletes in the IA program -- 110-meter hurdle national record holder Edi Zakaria, 800-meter runner Achmad Sakeh and 5,000-meter runner Triyaningsih.
While the Asian Games are still far away, the three athletes will join about 60 other athletes training for the 2005 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines.
PASI secretary-general Tigor M. Tanjung said the training program would start in early November.
"With the early start of training, we want the athletes to have as much time as possible to enhance their medal chances at the SEA Games. We will not be sending athletes simply to gain experience," he said.
Indonesia's track and field squad brought home only four gold medals at the last SEA Games in Vietnam, compared to Thailand's 13 and eight apiece for Vietnam and Malaysia.
Medal winners at the recent National Games in Palembang will be among those taking part in the SEA Games training program, including Deysie Sumigar (100 meters), Herlince Tatogo (400 meters), Oliva Sadi (800 and 1,500 meters) and Supriati Sutono (5,000 and 10,000 meters).
Among the men's athletes are John Herman Murray (100 meters), Yan Karubaba (400 meters) and Jauhari Johan (5,000 and 10,000 meters).