Two boxers qualify for Olympics

Two boxers qualify for Olympics

JAKARTA (JP): Boxers La Paene Masara and Hermansen Ballo have
joined the list of national athletes to qualify for the 2000
Olympic Games.

La Paene outclassed Daniello Lerto Jr. of the Philippines 8-3
in the final of the Olympic third qualifying round in Bangkok on
Friday to claim the light flyweight title.

Ballo, competing in the flyweight division, finished third in
a bout to claim third place on Friday, overpowering Srinevas Rao
of India 16-3. The top three boxers in the flyweight division
automatically qualified for the quadrennial event in Sydney in
September.

The executive director of the Indonesian Amateur Boxing
Association (Pertina), Ignatius Mulyono, said the association
planned to send the two boxers either to Cuba or Kazakhstan for
warm-up bouts before the Olympics.

"We will also take three juniors with them to enrich their
experience," he said on Friday.

Mulyono also hoped the National Sports Council (KONI) could
help finance the overseas stint.

La Paene, the 1997 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, booked
his Olympic berth by knocking out Chen Shin Cheng of Chinese
Taipei in the semifinal on Wednesday.

Ballo, the 1998 Asian Games silver medalist, bowed out to host
boxer Wijan Polid in Wednesday's semis. However, he grabbed his
second chance in the third place bout. (ivy)