Indonesian athletes to get early Olympic warm-up

　　    JAKARTA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Some of Indonesia's track and field athletes will have a chance to warm up for the Olympics Games next August in Beijing by participating in the Asian Indoor Championships in Doha, Qatar, from Feb. 14-16.

　　    The Indonesian Track and Field Association (PASI) said that Suryo Agung Wibowo and Dedeh Erawati, who both won gold medals at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, last December, would fly to Doha next month.

　　    "We hope Suryo, who has qualified for the Olympiad, can maintain his performance and fitness at the event," PASI official Tigor was quoted by local newspaper The Jakarta Post's Saturday issue as saying.

　　    "For Dedeh, this is a tune-up before she competes in some Olympic qualifying events," he sad, adding that no target had been set for the athletes in Doha.

　　    The association would also send some junior athletes to the event.

　　    Suryo, who won gold medals in the men's 100m and 200m at the SEA Games, said he wanted to improve his times in Doha.

　　    "During the SEA Games, I clocked 10.25 seconds in the men's 100m and 20.76 seconds in the men's 200m. I want to improve my times before going to the Olympics," Suryo said.

　　    Aside from Suryo and Dedeh, PASI hopes to send several other athletes to the Olympics, including Doni Susanto in the long jump and triple jump, Yahuza in the marathon, Triyaningsih in the women's 5,000m and marathon, Marince Subnafeu in the marathon and Maria Natalia Londa in the triple jump.

　　    Triyaningsih, who won gold medals at the SEA Games in the 5,000m and 10,000m, said she was willing to compete in the marathon instead of the 5,000m.

　　    "I think I have a better chance of winning in the marathon than in the 5,000m," she said.

　　    She said PASI had promised to send her to compete in the qualifying round for the Olympic marathon.

　　    PASI, in cooperation with the Indonesia Sports Council, will also send some athletes to train in Australia next month.

　　    "At least eight athletes will be trained in Australia to prepare for some Olympic qualifying events, like the Thailand Open in March and the Asian Grand Prix in June," Tigor said.