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Indonesian team look ahead to Rio
Syarah Angraini failed to win a medal at the Moonlight Festival Garden on Sunday, but Indonesiaâs weightlifting team did not give in to despondency; instead, the team is looking to the future and the other sporting challenges that lay ahead
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yarah Angraini failed to win a medal at the Moonlight Festival Garden on Sunday, but Indonesia's weightlifting team did not give in to despondency; instead, the team is looking to the future and the other sporting challenges that lay ahead.
The 20-year-old Syarah lifted a total weight of 183 kilograms in the women's 53 kg division to fall outside the top three among 13 contenders.
Along with fellow Indonesian Citra Febrianti, Syarah was in Group B, whose competition was held Sunday morning. While Citra failed to complete the competition due to a hip injury, Syarah eased into second place behind Japan's Kanae Yagi.
It was not an easy task for Syarah, who did not succeed in her clean-and-jerk lift of 101 kg until her third attempt. Kanae, however, managed to outclass Syarah by lifting 108 kg ' making a total of 190 kg ' against Syarah's total of 183.
The medal winners remained undecided until the weightlifters in Group A took to the stage in the afternoon. However, Indonesia's team coach, Hadi Wihardja, did not have much hope for Syarah's prospects, knowing that Group A comprised elite athletes.
'Her chances [of a medal] are slim. The Group A athletes have respective body weights that surpass 200 kg. None of our lifters have reached that mark,' Hadi told The Jakarta Post on Sunday morning.
He remained positive, however, saying that Syarah was a newcomer and that the team was preparing for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The weightlifters will vie for a place in Rio through two qualifying championships, beginning in Kazakhstan in November.
'After that, we will be attending the world cup in Houston [Texas] in November next year,' Hadi added.
Separately, team manager Wijaya Alamsyah warned the athletes against losing points in the two qualifying championships.
'Qualification will be decided on accumulative points from the two events,' he said.
Both men pointed to weightlifters from other Asian countries as Indonesia's main rivals ahead of Brazil. 'The lower divisions in weightlifting are dominated by Asian lifters,' Hadi said. 'That's why we did not pin any medal hopes on Syarah.'
The afternoon's Group A results confirmed Hadi's view about Syarah's podium chances, with all eight contenders from Group A outperforming those in Group B.
Shu Ching Hsu of Chinese Taipei won gold, lifting a total weight of 233 kg and setting a new world record in the process. Kazakhstan's Zulfiya Chinshanlo came in second with 228 kg, equal to China's Zhang Wangqiong.
Eko Yuli Irawan is still competing in the men's 62 kg division. The team has already contributed a silver medal to Indonesia's delegation, thanks to Sri Wahyuni Agustiani's performance in the women's 48 kg division on Saturday.
' JP/Musthofid
