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Equipment retailer laments rock-climbing slump
Amid a recent slump in international competitions, rock climbing pundit and equipment retailer Mamay Salim has called on the country's top climbers to reclaim Indonesia's reputation in the sports world
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Amid a recent slump in international competitions, rock climbing pundit and equipment retailer Mamay Salim has called on the country's top climbers to reclaim Indonesia's reputation in the sports world.
"We have sacrificed so much to develop the sport here," Mamay told The Jakarta Post in a recent interview in Bandung, West Java.
"We have to focus on how to deliver greater achievements rather than let everything go to waste."
He blamed the intensive preparations for the National Games in East Kalimantan this August for distracting Indonesian rock climbers from other competitions and therefore contributing to the drop in Indonesia's world ranking.
The national women's speed climbing team finished fourth in the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation's (UIAA) 2005 rankings, but slid to fifth in 2006 and 17th last year. This year, Indonesia has been crossed off the list after none of its climbers took part in recent tours.
"The Indonesian Federation of Sports Climbing should better manage its athletes. The federation must decide which athletes to send to local competitions and which to international ones," Mamay said.
"How come world-class climbers like Evi Neliwati and Yuyun Yuniar had to compete in a low-class competition in the National Games representing their respective provinces?" he went on.
Evi, world No. 8 in 2005 but now ranked 20th, competed for East Java during the National Games, while Yuyun Yuniar, ranked 18th in the world, competed for West Java.
"We have to put Indonesia back on the list by sending our best climbers to international events rather than have them play in local competitions," he said.
He added that the federation should also scout new talent to ensure the future of the sport in the country.
Despite Indonesia's slide in world climbing sports rankings, Mamay remained confident of raising the profile of the extreme sports among the population, especially the young.
"I saw kids start learning rock climbing recently," said Mamay, who has built an artificial wall in front of his climbing apparatus store on Jl. Cihampeulas, Bandung, for some 90 regular climbers to train on.
