Training center for SEA Games inaugurated
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar on Friday officially inaugurated the centralized training center for the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
The ceremony was attended by only 100 of the 454 athletes from 20 sports bodies competing in the biennial event, which is to be held in Brunei Darussalam from Aug. 7 to Aug. 15.
Wismoyo said in his speech that athletes were responsible in giving their best achievement to the country, which was in crisis.
"If you fail to perform your best, you are sinful for misusing people's money. We use their money to finance your training," he said while pointing his finger to athletes who sat on the floor before him.
At the end of the ceremony in KONI's office, Wismoyo sang a marching song together with the athletes while he shook hands and rubbed heads.
KONI plans to only send 448 athletes who are considered the most prepared, to compete in the Games.
Despite the short training period of only two months, athletes expressed optimism in improving records and winning medals.
Women's doubles specialist in tennis, Irawati Moerid Iskandar, is eyed for a gold in the women's double.
"If I am chosen for the core team, I want to fight for gold," said the 1997 SEA Games gold medalist in the women's team.
Shooter Rina Dwi K., competing in women's double trap, hoped to score more than 130 points, higher than her personal best two years ago when she earned a silver medal.
"I can feel the mental pressure to achieve the goal. I am less experienced because I only have a limited tryout," said the second sergeant, who is an officer with the Jakarta City Police.
Women's sprinter Supiati from West Nusa Tenggara, said she wanted to improve her personal best of 12.00 seconds in the 100- meter dash created in a track and field simulation in July last year.
KONI official in charge of athletes development, Mochamad Hindarto, said some athletes from four sport bodies failed to attend the ceremony as they were being trained outside Jakarta.
Table tennis players are training in Kediri, East Java, and cyclists in an open road race event are being coached in Yogyakarta.
Tae kwon do athletes are competing in the World Championships in Canada while drivers are participating in the Grand Prix in Beijing.
Hindarto said four other sports have finished overseas tryouts. They are badminton in the Sudirman Cup and World Championships in Copenhagen, karate in the World Championships in Copenhagen, track and field and boxing in the 1999 Arafura Games in Darwin, Australia. Indonesians track and field athletes also competed in the Chinese Taipei Open.
Other sports, which will have overseas tryouts to attend, are billiards and snooker, bowling and shooting in Brunei Darussalam, basketball in the Philippines, traditional boat racing in Taipei, women's karatekas to Tokyo while the men's to Malaysia, water polo to Rumania, swimming to Singapore, and table tennis to China. Soccer players will fly to Europe for friendlies.
The 1997 SEA Games training executive director, Djoko Pramono, said Indonesia would have to fight hard in the Games to retain its overall title due to the short training period.
"We only have two months left. Each sports organizations must motivate their athletes, because motivation can overshadow the lack of technical skill and physical endurance," he said. (ivy)