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.