West Java's team maintains runner-up place in Games

JAKARTA (JP): The real battle of the 14th National Games was settled yesterday as West Java once again eclipsed East Java in the medal race.

With a coup attempt against long-time overall champion Jakarta clearly beyond everyone's reach, the outcome was a real success for the West Javanese, who dug out no less than Rp 15 billion (US$6.4 million) to prepare their 570-strong squad, the biggest among the 27 participating provincial teams.

West Java ended its medal-winning attempt with 68 golds, 82 silvers and 75 bronzes to finish second for the second straight time in uhe era of Jakarta Games. The province has emerged the overall champion three times, in 1951, 1954 and 1961.

West Java's celebrations, however, turned sour yesterday as two criminals armed with machetes stole Rp 16.5 million in cash bonuses to be distributed to triumphant West Javanese men's basketball team.

East Java collected five golds less, and had to settle for third place, despite having a chance to win one more gold in the soccer final today. The soccer bronze went to North Sulawesi after beating South Sulawesi 2-0 in the third-place playoff yesterday.

Jakarta's medal mean machine also stopped working at the end of its tether with 135 golds, 81 silvers and 75 bronzes. The medal haul was not unexceptional, however, as Jakarta had surpassed the 150-gold mark twice, in 1981 and 1985.

The host team earned its last two golds in badminton through women's singles Mia Audina and men's singles Joko Suprianto. Olympic silver medalist Mia looked too much for her Central Java challenger Yuni Kartika, wrapping up the final 11-3, 11-6 in just half an hour for her first career top honor ever.

Joko was also a dominant side in his match against former Olympic champion Alan Budikusuma, who played for East Java. The Jakartan finished off his East Javanese rival 15-3, 15-12.

Jakarta also shined in paragliding, winning both individual and team precision landing golds at Pondok Cabe in South Jakarta yesterday. Eddy H scored 1,946.82 to win the individual event and spurred his team to another gold with a combined score of 3,880.88.

Hockey finals

The penultimate day yesterday was marked with an apparently peaceful agreement over the hockey row, as the National Sports Council top brass, including chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar, joined its Indonesian Hockey Association counterparts in a samba dance to celebrate Irian Jaya's victory in the men's hockey final.

Defending champion Irian Jaya displayed a powerful game to wallop its contender East Java 4-0, to the delight of the crowd. Both provinces will meet again in the soccer final prior to the opening ceremony today.

Earlier yesterday morning, the hockey field saw Yogyakarta beat East Java 2-0 in the women's final, which had been reduced to an exhibition match following the organizing committee's decision to axe the event from medal sports.

Yogyakarta's success capped a controversial run made by a team which had been disqualified for breaching registration procedures. "We don't care whether our gold medal is legal or not. The most important thing is we proved we could win," an elated Yogyakarta manager Aning Sunindyo said.

As Jakarta celebrates its successful seventh straight title defense attempt, criticism mounts against the city's privilege of being the permanent host of the Games since 1973.

"Jakartans have become bored with the Games, which they have hosted eight times in a row. We'd better hold the sporting meet in another place to give it refreshment," Mangombar Ferdinand Siregar, a noted sports observer, said yesterday.

The government has turned down any plans to move the Games away from Jakarta at least in the coming 15 years, saying that no provinces except Jakarta had acceptable venues. (amd)

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