WEIGHTLIFTING TEAM CONFIDENT OF PROSPECT
Agnes Winarti
Jakarta Post
Wednesday, February 3, 2010 12:21 PM
Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association
(PABBSI) is optimistic it will secure a medal at the upcoming inaugural
Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.
PABBSI officials said they were expecting at least a bronze following
the weightlifting men’s team securing of a spot to qualify for the
prestigious event that runs from Aug. 14-26.
The spot was secured after the country’s weightlifting squad finished
12th at the first Youth World Championship for weightlifting in
Chiangmai, Thailand, last May, which served as the qualifier for the
Youth Olympics.
"We are currently grooming our three best male youth lifters. We
definitely have great potential for at least a bronze medal, especially
in the 56-kilogram and 62-kg classes," PABBSI secretary-general
Alamsyah Wijaya told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
Alamsyah declined to name the promising youth lifters, however, he
acknowledged that their potential was obvious during the National
Students Games (POPNAS) in Yogyakarta last November.
16-year-old Sumariyanto, who in May ranked third among the men’s
56-kg class in the Youth World Championship in Chiangmai, won gold
in the same class at POPNAS.
He was followed by silver medalist Rifaldi Achmad K. and bronze
medalist Handoko P. Meanwhile, Andi Andrean won gold in the men’s
62-kg class, trailed by silver medalist Muh Kairul Anwar and bronze
medalist Punto Dewanto.
"Looking at Sumariyanto’s overall lift at the World Championship,
which was only one-kilogram below the runner-up, I think he is in
a solid position to get at least a bronze at the Olympics," PABBSI
deputy Syafriadi Tjut told the Post on Tuesday.
Sumariyanto lifted an overall 237-kg, trailing the runner-up from
Armenia, Margaryan Smbat, who lifted 238-kg, while the class champion,
Chen Xiong from China, lifted 262-kg.
PABBSI is also sending seven female youth lifters, including Dewi
Safitri (53-kg), Sri Wahyuni (44-kg), Sri Wirahayu (44-kg), Murni Simin
(58-kg), Sonia Febrianti (69-kg) and Novita Sherly (+69-kg) to showcase
their potential at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF)
Youth Olympic qualification in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on April 7-11.
"We hope to have at least one female lifter qualify for the Youth
Olympics," said Alamsyah.
Meanwhile, the country’s youth shuttlers will also face several
tryouts, including the Asian Youth U-19 in Malaysia (March 21-28)
and the World Junior Championship (April 12-25) in Guadalajara,
Mexico, prior to their participation at the Youth Olympics.
The youth squad lineup include Suci Andini/Della Destiara and Gebby
Ristiyani/Tiara Rosalia in the women’s doubles, Renna Suwarno, Siti
Anisah in the women’s singles as well as Evert Sukamta and Hermansyah
in the men’s singles.
"We expect them to get at least a gold medal as they have a good
chance of qualifying for the Olympics," youth badminton coach Namrih
Suroto told the Post.
The Track and Field Association (PASI) received a quota of two athletes
to participate at the Asian Youth Athletic Championship in Singapore
on May 20-23, which serves as a qualifier for the Youth Olympics.
PASI athlete development head Budidarma Sidi said Riski Latip in the
men’s 100-meter sprint and Nurul Imaniar in women’s 100-meter sprint
and racewalk were prime medal contenders.
The Youth Olympics, which features 26 sports, will be contested by
3,600 athletes between the ages of 14 and 18 from 205 countries.