WI enters SEA Games filled with confidence

WI enters SEA Games filled with confidence

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

A good performance at the Beijing Open followed by a
successful training camp in Guangzhou, China, has given
Indonesia's wushu association, WI, the confidence that its
athletes can win two gold medals at the Southeast Asia (SEA)
Games next month in Manila.

"We won six golds at the Beijing Open in August and our
athletes also looked capable of competing against the athletes
from Guangdong province during the training session," WI
secretary-general Achmad Yani Saiful said on Thursday.

Achmad said several strong teams from around the world took
part in the Beijing Open.

Indonesia's top wushu hopefuls are Sandy Liong, Heryanto,
Howandi, David, Heryanto B.P., Andriani M and Salim Ayuba in the
men's division, and Susyana, Dwi Arimbi and Ivone Kumalasari in
the women's division.

"The Philippines had planned to send its athletes to the
tournament but withdrew," Achmad said about the SEA Games host,
which could pose a serious threat in the wushu competition.

"The results from the Beijing tournament have given our
athletes the confidence that they can achieve our target of
winning two golds at the SEA Games," he said.

Indonesia is fired up to bounce back from a dismal showing at
the SEA Games in Vietnam two years ago, where the team failed to
win one gold medal. All that Indonesia's wushu athletes could
manage were two silver and seven bronze medals.

Achmad said the organization had been cautious about the
team's prospects, until the athletes turned in such a good
showing in China.

"The athletes are very confident that they can win gold for
Indonesia at the SEA Games," he said.

The wushu competition will be held at Emilio Aguinaldo College
in Manila.

Achmad said Indonesia's gold medal hopes would rest largely on
Sandy Liong, Heryanto, Susyana and Howandi.

"Those athletes are one level higher than their Southeast
Asian rivals," Achmad said. "I just hope the judging is fair
during the competition."

Achmad said he expected Vietnam to maintain the dominance it
showed in 2003. "Another strong competitor will be the
Philippines."

He hopes the association's athletes will be able to take part
in a final training session either with Chinese national athletes
from Oct. 13 to Oct. 15 or with local athletes from Guangdong
province before leaving for Manila.

"The training, we hope, will give the athletes even more
confidence," he said.

The athletes will fly to Manila directly from China on Nov.
25. The SEA Games open on Nov. 27.