RI's boxers fired up for debut

Niken Prathivi ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 11/19/2008 11:11 AM  |  Sports

Indonesia's female boxers are preparing for a tough fight ahead of the 2008 AIBA Women's World Boxing Championship in Ningbo City, China, starting Friday.

Sally Wanimbo in the 48-kilogram category, Indri Sambaimana in 50-kg and Yunike Busira on 54-kg have been training since the end of the National Games in August for the championship. It is the first time ever the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association (Pertina) has been ready to send a female team to a world event.

"These are the best female boxers we have ever had," Hengki Silatang, a Pertina official in charge of national training camp, said Tuesday.

Yunike, then 52-kg, won the bronze medal at the 2007 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, while Sally and Indri were part of the team that took gold at the National Games.

While happy with their first appearance at the SEA Games, Hengki said, the team plans to use the China event to scrutinize regional rivals and develop strategies ahead of the next SEA meet.

"As debutantes in the World Boxing Championships, we don't have any particular targets. We plan to observe the boxers from Southeast Asian countries ahead of next year's SEA Games in Laos," Hengki said.

According to www.aiba.org, 43 countries have confirmed they will participate in the eight-day event across 13 weight categories at Ningbo Youngor Gymnasium, China.

Yunike said Thailand and Malaysia would put up stiff competition.

"I saw Thai and Malaysian boxers fight during the last SEA Games, and they are fast," she said.

Thailand, along with the Philippines, are widely regarded as strongholds for boxing.

Yunike said that she was ready for the bout.

"I never stopped practicing after the National Games. I have nothing to be worried about, my technique and stamina are ready for the event. It will be an all-out fight."

Coach I Gusti Made Adi Swandana said the event would be an ideal opportunity for boxers to gauge their skills ahead of the SEA Games.

"They have had a long break since the National Games, so this event will challenge them to maintain form," he said.

Adi said the boxers would participate in two more tournaments as preparation sessions before heading to Laos.

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