42 Friday Sports Friday, August 17, 2018 From bamboo shack to running track, sprinter buoys hosts

Zohri facing biggest test as he competes against faster athletes

JAKARTA: Rags-to-riches teenage sprinter poor performance at the Southeast Asian Games Lalu Zohri has given Indonesia an unexpected with the same athletes, so I think it is really dif- confidence boost as the Asian Games hosts look ficult to achieve,” sports analyst Fritz Simanjun- to pull off their first top-10 medals finish in tak told AFP. The country ranked fifth at the decades. Zohri, 18, won the hearts of Indonesians Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur last last month with a shock 100-metres victory over year behind hosts Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam two favoured American rivals at the world junior and Singapore. championships in Finland. It was the first medal for an Indonesian ath- HIGH FLIERS AND MINIONS lete at the under-20 tournament and capped a Indonesia’s poor results at multi-sport events heady rise for Zohri, who was raised in a bamboo can be explained by a dearth of youth develop- shack and trained barefoot on the beach as a ment programmes, according to Simanjuntak, youngster. who was a member of the Indonesian Olympic Now, Zohri is facing his biggest test as he Committee (IOC) between 1995-2004. competes against a field of older and faster ath- “We don’t have a good structure for athlete letes at the world’s second-largest multi-sports development in Indonesia,” he said. “The gov- event. “My goal is to give my best for Indonesia,” ernment needs to focus on the community level Zohri, who clocked 10.18sec to win world gold, and the school level.” Even so, many Indonesian said after a training session in . “But I’m athletes will be hell-bent on proving they’re gold not targeting a medal in the .” medal-worthy in front of passionate home Still, his unlikely rise has given Indonesia a crowds. Paragliding-along with bridge and pen- glimmer of hope that it too can manage a sur- cak silat-will feature for the first time in the prise showing-and overcome a history of mid- Asian Games, and there are sky-high expecta- dling performances at international tournaments. tions for Indonesia’s team, which includes four Badminton, weightlifting, Indonesian martial art top-10 fliers in both the men’s and women’s ac- pencak silat and even paragliding are all poten- curacy discipline. tial medal sports for the hosts at the August 18- Hening Paradigma, who is aiming for gold in September 2 Games in Jakarta and . the men’s accuracy and cross country events, JAKARTA: This photo taken on July 27, 2018 shows Indonesian sprinter Lalu Zohri (C) taking part Despite a population of more than 260 mil- said the Indonesian team has been training for a in a practice session with his teammates at the Senayan sport complex in Jakarta, ahead of the lion, Indonesia frequently trails smaller South- year-and-a-half. “The possibility of gold is quite 2018 Asian Games. — AFP east Asian nations like Malaysia and Thailand at high for accuracy and for cross country we have the Asian Games. Indonesia has ranked no better a 50/50 chance,” said Paradigma, who is ranked than 13th at the past four Asiads and last placed world number seven for paragliding accuracy. Diminutive duo Marcus Gideon and Kevin said Indonesia’s shuttlers were ready to go. “In- in the top 10 in 1990. They were 17th at the 2014 “We know Korea and Japan are more expe- Sukamuljo-affectionately dubbed the “Minions” donesia has a chance of getting a gold medal in Games in . rienced... but we will do our best to achieve a after the little yellow characters featured in a several divisions like men’s doubles and mixed Although the Asian Games allow the host na- gold medal.” While Indonesia’s stranglehold on popular 2015 animated film-are the world’s top- doubles,” Susanti told AFP. tion to tailor the sporting programme to suit its world badminton has loosened since the 1990s, ranked men’s doubles pair and will be tough to “This is one of the most important competi- strengths, some remain sceptical that Indonesia it stands a strong chance resurrecting some past beat. Team manager Susi Susanti, a former tions and we hope that we can contribute a gold can finish in the top 10. “Last year we had a very glory at the showpiece tournament. Olympic gold medallist and world champion, medal for the overall Indonesian team.” — AFP

“drug cheat” and Frenchwoman Camille Lacourt sniffed Hot stuff: China that Sun “pees purple”. Sun then escalated the war of words by accusing Horton of “dirty tactics” after losing his Olympic 400m the way in the 100m for Games gold swim king Sun title to the Australian. Prowling the pool deck in bling Chineses and the unofficial title of China’s fastest gold headphones before his races, the Chinese star man. But with the Games opening on could face less resistance in his bid to win a fistful of Saturday, Xie wrote on Weibo, China’s eyes Asian sweep gold in Jakarta with Hagino failing to qualify for Japan printer Xie out version of Twitter: “The path of life is in the 200m free. “I can’t relax for a second,” admitted always bumpy and looks like this time the 26-year-old Sun, who completed a hat-trick of of Asian Games I’m not that lucky person. “After long- JAKARTA: Brash, belligerent and often painted as 400m world titles last year in Budapest. “If you stop term research and discussion, we de- ’s big, bad wolf, Chinese giant will pushing, that’s when the problems start,” he told Chinese cided I’m not going to this Asian be looking to savage his rivals at the Asian Games. The media. “Rest and recuperation can wait.” with injury Games out of long-term considera- triple Olympic champion is poised to swim the men’s China’s support cast is led by teenager Li Bingjie, tions.” Xie, who ran 9.97sec in the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle in Jakarta-and who medalled in the women’s 400m and 800m freestyle 100m in June to set a new China it would take an astonishing upset to deny him a gold in Hungary, and charismatic backstroker , a SHANGHAI: Chinese sprinter and record-which was swiftly bettered by medal sweep. double Asian Games winner in 2014. , bronze medal hope Xie Zhenye said yesterday Su-added that he was “very sorry” and No shrinking violet, Sun triggered a diplomatic row medallist behind Michael Phelps and Hagino in the that he is not taking part in the Asian posted a doctor’s letter confirming a at the by slamming Japan’s national 200m individual medley at the Rio Olympics, will have Games because of an ankle injury, just right-ankle injury. Reports in Chinese anthem as “ugly” after being ambushed by Kosuke hopes of upsetting his Japanese rival. two days before they open. media said that Xie suffered the prob- Hagino in the 200m free in Korea. But Hagino, who captured Olympic gold in the The 24-year-old set a new Chinese lem at the Sun was banned for three months in 2014 for taking 400m medley, will be favourite to complete another record over 200m of 20.16sec in May meeting last month. Xie had also been trimetazidine, prescribed for a heart condition and Asian Games double, despite having countryman to underline his electric form heading scheduled to race in the 4x100m relay which had only been included on the World Anti-Doping breathing down his neck. Japan also have into the Games in Indonesia’s Jakarta in Indonesia so his absence is a blow to Agency’s list of illegal substances four months earlier. high hopes for Rikako Ikee, who swept to gold in the and Palembang. Xie was also expected him personally and to China’s hopes on Rival swimmers tore into Sun at the Rio Olympics in women’s 100m butterfly at last week’s Pan Pacific to push friend and rival all the track. — AFP 2016, where Australian Mack Horton labelled him a championships.— AFP