Wushu athletes to train in China

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's wushu athletes will undergo a two- month overseas stint in China in July in preparation for the 19th SEA Games here in October.

The Indonesia Wushu Association chairman Antonius Haliman said yesterday the Games athletes, being groomed here and in Surabaya, would also take part in several tournaments in three countries in April and May. Wushu is a martial art originating from China.

"We'll send our athletes for a series of tryouts with Singaporean and Malaysian counterparts in April and next month we'll send them to Myanmar and Vietnam," he said.

Negotiations are still continuing with the National Sports Council to finance the athletes to take part in the Asian Championships in Pusan, South Korea, in June.

Antonius said the association is eying to grab as many gold medals as possible.

"Indonesian athletes have a chance to win gold in the thaullo (non-combat event) and san-shouw (free fight) events," he said.

Twenty-five thaullo, a division of wushu, athletes, 12 of which are female, are practicing in Surabaya. Fifteen san-shouw athletes, all male, are being coached here.

Four male and four female thaullo athletes will be selected for the final Games team. Only five of the 15 san-shouw athletes will join the main squad.

The final selection will take place on May 1, according to the council's plan.

"Most of our athletes are still in training on May 1, and it's difficult for us to make a decision on the final team," he said.

"But since this is an order, we will try to boost the selection process," he added.

Antara reported that wushu competition at the SEA Games will offer 19 gold medals; seven gold medals for male thaullo, seven gold medals for female thaullo and five gold medals for san- shouw.

Indonesia has predicted athletes from the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand might pose a threat to Indonesia's medal bid in the wushu competition.

"The Philippines and Malaysia are very good in thaullo and san-shouw. But Thailand is only good in san-shouw because most of their athletes are recruited from Thai-boxing," he said. (yan)