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)