Two male lifters improve on personal bests

JAKARTA (JP): Two male lifters have set personal bests in first-phase training for the 13th Asian Games, bolstering their chances of being named to the team to compete in Bangkok in December.

The Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association's secretary-general, Djoko Pramono, said Erwin Abdullah and Zulkarnaen would have an increased chance of competing at the quadrennial event if they continued to improve.

"If we look at their progress during the first-phase training which culminates at the end of this month, I'm very optimistic," he said. "We still have seven months to decide the prospective medal winners to compete at the event."

Erwin Abdullah, winner of gold in the 70kg class at the 19th SEA Games here last October, has improved on his personal best by five kilograms.

Zulkarnaen, who was not named to the SEA Games squad, has lifted 280kgs, 2.5kgs above his previous best.

The association's technical commission deputy, Harry Wibowo, said officials had been striving to improve the performances of 12 lifters to have them rank among the top four in Asia for their respective weight classes.

"That's the requirement from the National Sports Council (to compete in the Asiad)," Harry said. "We'll try hard to boost our athletes' form so they can rank in the top four in Asia."

Sri Indriyani, Winarni, Sriyani, Supeni and Fatmawati will be on the women's team, and Hari Setiawan, Taufik, Misdan, Zulkarnaen, Sutrisno, Erwin Abdullah and Joko Hanggono are the members of the men's squad.

Sri, Winarni, Sriyani, Hari, Taufik and Erwin each won one gold in the SEA Games.

Harry said tight drugs screening by the International Weightlifting Federation had increased the lifters' motivation because they realized the competition was fairer.

He said this was proven last December when Patmawati and Winarni won two golds and one bronze at the World Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand. (yan)