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.