With regard to the need of holding the national training center (TC), a number of national swimmers expressed hope that the Indonesian Swimming Association (PRSI) would carry out the TC soon.
I Gede Siman Sudartawa, one of the country`s noted swimmers has also urged the PRSI to immediately implement the training center.
"To me, the sooner is the better (to hold the TC)," Sudartawa pointed out recently.
Earlier, the PRSI promised to conduct the training center in January 2018. However, another source informed that the TC will take place in April.
"We are told to get ready, let alone later, even now we are ready, even the faster is the better because we have to adjust with the weather .....," Sudartawa said.
Swimming is one of 40 sports that will be contested in the 18th Asian Games.
"So far as I know other countries have joined a lot of training centers, like Singapore its core team has been joining the TC in Australia starting last month," Sudartawa remarked, adding that the PRSI planned to dispatch the Indonesian swimmers to the training camp in United States
Chief of the organizing committee of the 2018 Asian Games (INASGOC), Erick Thohir, stated that the 2018 Asian Games will hold 40 sports with 462 events, and the number of sports cannot be changed anymore.
In addition, Azzahra Permatahani, a female swimmer said that it has no problem for her to join the training camp either inside or outside the country.
In the meantime, one of the potential male swimmers who showed his best during the 19th National Sports Week (PON) 2016, was Triadi Fauzi Sidik, who won eight gold medals.
The West Java`s flagship swimmer Triadi Fauzi Sidik had set a target of winning the Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta and Palembang.
According to Triadi, he made such optimism based on the results of national training center for Olympic qualification of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016, that he was nearing the limit of A.
"Eight gold medals I bagged yesterday (in 19th PON) is a realistic target even believe that I can achieve more," Triadi pointed out.
In a bid to win the Asian Games 2018, Triadi will continue to optimize the swimming exercises.
The West Java contingent`s record-breaking feat in the qualification round of the 200 meters men`s individual swimming medley in the 19th National Sports Week (PON) set a good start for the team.
West Java`s Triadi broke the PON record, swimming the stretch in 2 minutes 6 seconds.
The previous record stood at 2 minutes 7 seconds, set by Albert C Susanto 12 years ago at the 2004 PON in South Sumatra.
"The new record in swimming will hopefully set a trend and more such feats will be witnessed," said the game section chief of the West Java`s PON contingent, Yudha M Saputra.
Saputra further said the record breaking feat was a result of years of training and coaching.
The 18th Asian Games, a regional sporting event for Asian nations, will be co-hosted by Jakarta and Palembang (South Sumatra) simultaneously from Aug 18 to Sept 2, 2018.
This will be the second time that Indonesia would host the Asian Games after the first one was held in Jakarta in 1962.
After more than five decades, the Asian Games will finally return to Indonesia`s capital city of Jakarta, a metropolitan hosting more than 12 million people during the work week.
Some 9.5 thousand athletes; 2.5 thousand personnel of the Asian Olympic Council; and 5.5 thousand technical delegates from 45 countries will participate, or be involved, in the event. At least 3.5 thousand media representatives are expected to cover the event.
As the host of the 2018 Asian Games, Indonesia is eyeing a top-10 place in the medals tally of the pan-Asian multi-sports event.
To secure it, Indonesia must win 15-20 gold medals in the 18th Asian Games scheduled to take place from Aug 18 to Sept 2, 2018, in Jakarta and Palembang.
In the history of the Asian Games, Indonesia has never taken home 20 gold medals. The country registered its highest tally of 11 gold medals in 1962, when it hosted the event for the first time.
(B003/a014)
Reporter: Bustanuddin
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
