Badminton players face tougher task ahead<\/p>\n
Primastuti Handayani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The year 2003 was definitely a gloomy year for the Indonesian
\nbadminton squad due to its poor achievements in international
\ntournaments.<\/p>\n
Taufik Hidayat, who had looked ready to become the country's
\nbest men's-singles player, lost his grip in the International
\nBadminton Federation (IBF)-sanctioned tournaments by only winning
\none singles title at the Indonesia Open before his home-crowd in
\nBatam, Riau province.<\/p>\n
Other players, like Marlev Mainaky and Rony Agustinus, fared
\neven worse, not reaching the finals in any of the men's singles
\ntournaments they played.<\/p>\n
Although Indonesia has dominated the men's doubles event for
\nthe last decade, the country's best duo of Candra Wijaya\/Sigit
\nBudiarto only collected a title at the All England.<\/p>\n
The 1997 world champions, unfortunately bowed out to the
\nDanish pair of Lars Paaske\/Jonas Rasmussen in the World
\nChampionships final, and failed to collect another victory. After
\nthe event, they split up and Candra teamed up with Halim
\nHeryanto, while Sigit partnered Tri Kusheryanto.<\/p>\n
Compatriots Flandy Limpele\/Eng Hian, however, managed to
\ncontribute another title from the Japan Open.<\/p>\n
The result was far from satisfying, particularly with the hard
\ntask ahead. Next year, Indonesia will face the 2004 Thomas Cup
\nmen's team championship - to be staged at the Bung Karno Sports
\nComplex in Senayan, Central Jakarta - and the Olympic Games in
\nAthens.<\/p>\n
The Thomas Cup has always been particularly significant for
\nIndonesia, with the national team retaining the trophy for five
\nconsecutive times between, and a total of 21 times.<\/p>\n
During the biennial event, team spirit usually soars, giving
\nfanatical supporters the confidence that the national team will
\nonce again win -- although they perform poorly in individual
\ntournaments.<\/p>\n
But the shuttlers must work harder next year as other
\ncountries' young players, particularly the Chinese, have shown
\ngreat improvement.<\/p>\n
Next year, Hendrawan, the hero of the last three Thomas Cups,
\nwill no longer be playing for Indonesia. He resigned from the
\nnational squad early October due to prolonged injuries, and to
\nthe disappointment of the Badminton Association of Indonesia
\n(PBSI).<\/p>\n
As a senior player, Hendrawan -- the 2000 Sydney Olympics
\nsilver medalist and 2001 world champion -- had proven that he was
\nthe national squad's backbone. He was known to be reliable, as
\nthe most decisive player at the most critical moment, including
\nhis victory in the third men's singles event, when Indonesia and
\nMalaysia tied 2-2 in last year's Thomas Cup final in Guangzhou,
\nChina.<\/p>\n
Without Hendrawan, Taufik must deal with the pressure of
\nbecoming the backbone of the national squad.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's second-stringer, Sony Dwi Kuncoro, emerged as a
\nnew hope for the country after retaining his title at the Asian
\nBadminton Championships in Jakarta by defeating Taufik.<\/p>\n
Recently, he grabbed gold medals at the 2003 Southeast Asian
\n(SEA) Games in the men's singles and men's team events in
\nVietnam.<\/p>\n
Sony might not be on last year's Thomas Cup squad list, but he
\ndid join the team in a way, as a "laundry boy", whose job was to
\ncollect his seniors dirty clothing. On the way home, he was
\ntasked with guarding the Thomas Cup.<\/p>\n
His experience, watching the winning team at work, will surely
\nboost his confidence when he joins the squad next year.<\/p>\n
Speculation on the Thomas Cup goes hand-in-hand with
\ncommentary on the women's team championships the Uber Cup. But,
\nwith women's shuttlers twice failing to enter the semifinals, it
\nis unlikely that they will do any better this year.<\/p>\n
After Susy Susanti resigned in 1998 and Mia Audina later moved
\nto the Netherlands, Indonesia does not have a single player good
\nenough to boost the team to greater heights.<\/p>\n
Next on the agenda is the biggest international sporting
\nevent, the Olympics. In the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Indonesian
\nshuttlers won a gold in the men's doubles and two silvers for the
\nmen's singles and mixed doubles.<\/p>\n
If PBSI wants to hold fast to its gold tradition, this seems
\npossible in the men's doubles, with the biggest medal-chance
\ncompared to other events.<\/p>\n
Badminton lovers might criticize PBSI for its athletes' poor
\nform. However, critics should also address the officials and the
\ngovernment for their failure to develop the sport at the grass
\nroots level.<\/p>\n
PBSI must join with the Ministry of National Education to
\npopularize badminton among students. The ministry, which
\nincorporates the sport directorate general, must also provide
\nfacilities for students in rural areas, so that they too have the
\nchance to play the sport.<\/p>\n
PBSI must also work together with private sectors to organize
\nmore tournaments for clubs, students and children in all
\nprovinces.<\/p>\n
An independent talent-scouting committee is also needed to
\nsupply the association with really talented young shuttlers that
\ncan be groomed to become international-level athletes.<\/p>",
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