Wushu wants to get its golden groove back
Wushu wants to get its golden groove back
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
After returning home red-faced and empty-handed from the last
Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Wushu Indonesia (WI) is looking
forward to the challenge of Manila with the hope of reclaiming
gold.
"We had always won a gold since 1993 when wushu was first
competed in. We are determined to regain that golden touch," WI
chairman Mediteransyah said after his inauguration for a second
term at the National Sports Council (KONI) headquarters here on
Tuesday.
The wushu squad brought home two silvers and three bronzes
from the 2003 SEA Games, an unsatisfactory result that KONI
chairman Agum Gumelar used to criticize the association during
the ceremony.
Agum urged WI to improve its performance at the next SEA Games
in Manila in December.
While he expressed the association's strong wish for
improvement, Mediteransyah said he could not give a definite
medal target until after August, when 13 athletes will have
completed competing in China.
Athletes will take part in the Beijing Open from Aug. 23 to
27, the only overseas tryout ahead of the Manila campaign.
The athletes began their training at two locations earlier
this month, with nine here in Jakarta and four in Medan, North
Sumatra.
Jakarta trainees are David, Hartono Jayanegara, Heriyanto Budi
Pradigda, Arief Harsoyo, Salim Ayuba, Victor Senduk (men);
Susiyana, Evone Kumalasari and Andriani Mande. Susiyana won the
silvers in Vietnam.
Those training in Medan are Sandri Liong, Howandi Santoso,
Heriyanto and Dwi Arimbi, the only woman among them.
Mediteransyah said the Beijing Open would provide a true test
due to the expected turnout of leading competitors.
"Only after the Beijing Open will we be able to assess our
medal prospects in Manila. It's very likely that our athletes
will come up against the SEA Games strong contenders such as from
Vietnam," Mediteransyah said.
Meanwhile, in discussing the development program for the next
five years, Mediteransyah said that WI was pondering staging an
unprecedented international tournament in Bali next year.