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

Fri, 20 Sep 1996, 00:00 WIB | Source: JP

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)