Candra and Sigit reunited again<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Emerging at the age of 22 as 1997 world champions, Candra Wijaya
\nand Sigit Budiarto stepped out of the shadow of their seniors
\n1996 Olympic champions Rexy Mainaky and Ricky Subagja.<\/p>\n
Their glory days were soon over, however. In 1998, Sigit was
\nbanned from competing for a year by the International Badminton
\nFederation (IBF), after he was found guilty of using steroids.<\/p>\n
The pair was reunited by men's doubles coach Christian
\nHadinata in 2001, and they managed to win the Japan Open.<\/p>\n
They parted ways after the 2003 World Championships in
\nBirmingham, England, as Sigit returned home with a knee injury.<\/p>\n
But are soon to be reunited for a third time, eying the 2005
\nWorld Championships in Anaheim, the U.S., next August.<\/p>\n
\"I am ready to team up again with Sigit,\" Candra, who
\npreviously paired with Halim Heryanto, told The Jakarta Post over
\nthe weekend. \"We started training together last week and
\neverything went well. I hope that all three of us (including
\nChristian) are equally committed, and have the same targets.\"<\/p>\n
Candra and Sigit have their sights set on the 2005 All England
\ntitle next February.<\/p>\n
\"We want to compete in many tournaments and will focus on the
\nAll England and World Championships,\" Candra said.<\/p>\n
Now 29, he realizes they may have less chance of winning those
\ntournaments than Indonesia's younger pairs of Alven
\nYulianto\/Luluk Hadiyanto and Hendra Setiawan\/Markis Kidho.<\/p>\n
\"Sigit and I have talked about our target. We agreed to give
\nit a go for a year, before we decide whether or not to continue
\nwith our partnership,\" Candra said.<\/p>\n
Contacted separately by the Post, Sigit confirmed the reunion
\nplan.<\/p>\n
\"Candra and I have talked it over. So far, we're just
\npracticing together. I don't know yet when we will compete in
\ninternational events as a pair,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Christian also declined to elaborate on the plan, saying he
\nneeded to discuss it with the two shuttlers first. \"I don't know
\nwhen I can announce that they're officially paired,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Candra and Sigit were first paired in September 1996 by coach
\nAtik Djauhari, after which their careers really took off.<\/p>\n
After they spilt up due to the doping case, Candra teamed
\nwith Tony Gunawan in 1998, who is now playing for the U.S. They
\nwon the 1999 All England and Malaysian Open, Chinese Open and
\nJapan Open in 2000, before finally grabbing the Sydney Olympics
\ngold medal that same year.<\/p>\n
Candra and Sigit teamed up in 2001, but their failure in last
\nyear's world championships separated them again.<\/p>\n
The fire-and-ice combination of the two shuttlers --
\ntechnically and psychologically -- has created a communications
\ngap between them. Candra is known as a disciplined shuttler,
\nwhile Sigit considers that his great talent allows him to train
\nas he likes.<\/p>\n
As they prepare to reunite, Candra says he has no sour
\nfeelings toward Sigit over their separation.<\/p>\n
\"I want to show the world that there are no hard feelings --
\nwe're willing to be partners again,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/candra-and-sigit-reunited-again-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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