Elite shuttlers boost championship standards<\/p>\n
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) defended on
\nTuesday the mandatory presence of elite players at the 2001
\nNational Badminton Individual Championships, saying they boosted
\nthe event's standards.<\/p>\n
The PBSI official in charge of tournament and referee affairs,
\nJuniarto Suhandinata, admitted that the policy had sparked
\ncontroversy among the organization's chapters nationwide.<\/p>\n
\"Those who support the policy say that the event will give
\nprovincial players a chance to play with shuttlers being groomed
\nat the Indonesian Badminton Center (PBI),\" said Juniarto, who
\nalso chairs the championships' organizing committee.<\/p>\n
He said elite shuttlers were always eager to play in national
\nevents after spending most of their time playing around the
\nglobe.<\/p>\n
Juniarto insisted that by taking part in the national
\nchampionships, elite shuttlers provided a great opportunity for
\ndomestic supporters to watch their badminton idols play on court.<\/p>\n
The critics, he said, asserted that top shuttlers would leave
\nno space for their counterparts in provinces to win the
\nchampionships.<\/p>\n
It will be the second event this year where elite shuttlers
\nhave played shuttlers from provincial chapters after the National
\nBadminton Team Championships were held in the capital of South
\nKalimantan, Banjarmasin, in February.<\/p>\n
The National Championships will run from Wednesday through to
\nSunday at the Bung Karno Badminton Stadium. It will be the first
\nmajor domestic event to use the new best-of-five seven points
\nscoring system. Earlier in August, PBSI's West Java chapter
\nadopted the new system on the Samsung-SGS Badminton Circuit.<\/p>\n
The championships are divided into the senior and U-19 youth
\ndivision. All junior shuttlers being groomed at the National
\nBadminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta will compete in the
\nsenior division.<\/p>\n
Representing West Java after quitting the badminton center in
\nCipayung, Indonesia's top shuttler Taufik Hidayat tops the seeds
\nand is expected to meet world champion Hendrawan in the men's
\nsingles final in the senior division.<\/p>\n
But they will have to overcome their younger training mates.
\nIn the upper leg, Taufik faces challenges from either Taufiq
\nHidayat Akbar or Ardiansyah in the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n
Second stringers Johan Hadikusuma and Ronny Agustinus are the
\nmost likely opponents for Taufik in the semifinals, provided both
\nof them can pass earlier tests.<\/p>\n
In the bottom leg, Hendrawan should easily reach the quarters
\nbefore a semifinal match against either second stringer Budi
\nSantoso or juniors Sony Dwi Kuncoro and Wiempi Mahardi.<\/p>\n
In the women's singles, Atu Rosalina heads the seeds and is
\nexpected to meet former training mate Yuli Marfuah, who left the
\nbadminton center days before Taufik, for the title.<\/p>\n
Candra Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto are the favorites to win the
\nmen's doubles, with only Nova Widhianto and Bambang Suprianto
\nposing any real challenge.<\/p>\n
In the women's doubles, the pair of Vita Marissa and old-crack
\nMinarti Timur will see their junior training mates Enny Erlanga
\nand Jo Novita stand between them and the title.<\/p>\n
Veteran shuttlers are also expected to dominate the mixed
\ndoubles with Bambang and Emma Erlangga expected to meet Tri
\nKusheryanto and Vita to contest the title.<\/p>\n
PBSI will also hold its national congress at Hotel Indonesia
\nin Central Jakarta from Friday until Sunday. Among the agendas is
\nto elect the new chairman to replace incumbent Subagyo
\nHadisiswoyo who has ruled out his reelection bid.<\/p>\n
There are two strong candidates to fill Subagyo's shoes:
\nformer PBSI vice chairman and current vice president of the
\nInternational Badminton Federation (IBF) Justian Suhadinata and
\nbusinessman Chairul Tanjung. During the election on Sunday, some
\n300 delegates will cast their votes representing chapters and
\nbranches across the country.<\/p>",
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