Badminton champion faces difficult draw<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Defending champion Alan Budikusuma received a
\nchallenging draw for the Olympic Games badminton competition in
\nAtlanta next week, with a possible quarterfinal match against
\nsecond seed Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen of Denmark.<\/p>\n
If the Indonesian joint fifth seed clears his Danish hurdle,
\nhe is likely to play compatriot and world champion Hariyanto
\nArbi, who is seeded third together with Dong Jiong of China.<\/p>\n
Hoyer-Larsen, 31, shrugged off his age barrier to notch a
\nremarkable run this year, clinching his second straight All-
\nEngland title in March and beating most of the world's best
\nplayers in the Thomas Cup men's team championship in Hong Kong in
\nMay.<\/p>\n
The draw, issued by the International Badminton Federation
\n(IBF) on Thursday, gave the top eight seeded players first-round
\nbyes. The IBF conducted the draw according to the world rankings
\nas of April this year.<\/p>\n
The Indonesians should sigh with relief since the draw denied
\nan early meeting among themselves. An Indonesian official, Rudy
\nHartono, had earlier predicted that his team's chances of winning
\nmedals could be tarnished by an early all-Indonesia clash.<\/p>\n
Alan won the men's singles crown at the 1992 Barcelona
\nOlympics for Indonesia after a hard-fought battle against
\ncompatriot Ardy Wiranata. The silver medalist failed to qualify
\nfor this year's Olympics because of the quota of three players
\nimposed by the IBF on each country.<\/p>\n
Indonesian top seed Joko Suprianto should have a more
\ncomfortable path toward his first Olympic title. He opens his
\ncampaign in a second-round match against unheralded Finn Pontus
\nJantii.<\/p>\n
The world number one will probably only have to start working
\nhard in the quarterfinal, where he is tipped to meet Commonwealth
\nchampion Rashid Sidek of Malaysia. Should Joko survive the test,
\nhe will probably renew his rivalry with Chinese rising star Dong
\nJiong, the man who upset him in the Thomas Cup men's team
\nchampionship in Hong Kong in May.<\/p>\n
Hariyanto should also enjoy an easy ride in the early rounds.
\nBut he will probably have to stretch all his muscles in a
\npossible quarterfinal match with South Korea's Lee Kwan-jin, to
\nwhom he lost in the Korean Open early this year.<\/p>\n
Susi<\/p>\n
Women's singles title holder, but this year's second seed,
\nSusi Susanti should move smoothly into the quarterfinals, only to
\nset up a potential tooth and nail match against joint fifth seed
\nHan Jingna of China.<\/p>\n
Susi, who led the Indonesian team to its second successive
\nUber Cup triumph last May, will play her third match of the year
\nagainst her old nemesis Bang Soo-hyun of South Korea.<\/p>\n
The 26-year-old Indonesian was last beaten by the Korean in
\nthe All-England semifinals, but gained sweet revenge in the Uber
\nCup semifinals.<\/p>\n
Another Indonesian hopeful, Mia Audina, is drawn to meet
\nDanish star and joint third seed Camila Martin in the
\nquarterfinals. If 17-year-old Mia manages to overcome the
\nopponent who beat her in the German Open final in March, she
\ncould pose a real threat to Chinese top seed Ye Zhaoying's bid
\nfor the crown in the semifinals.<\/p>\n
In the men's doubles, world champions Ricky Subagja and Rexy
\nMainaky are looking ahead to a semifinal clash against fellow
\nIndonesians, Gunawan and Bambang Supriyanto.<\/p>\n
If the draw goes as expected, the other semifinal should pit
\nthe other Indonesian pair of Denny Kantono and Antonius Irianto
\nagainst Malaysian top seeds Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock.<\/p>\n
The badminton competition runs from July 24 through Aug. 1,
\nfeaturing 192 shuttlers who are vying for five gold medals. It
\nwill be the sport's second appearance in the Olympics. (amd)<\/p>",
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