More Olympic gold medals expected from badminton<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the National Sports Council, Wismoyo
\nArismunandar, urged yesterday Indonesian badminton players to
\nretain the two gold medals they won four years ago when they
\nreturn to the Olympic Games next July.<\/p>\n
"If possible, win more gold medals from badminton," Wismoyo
\nsaid during a meeting with officials of the Badminton Association
\nof Indonesia yesterday.<\/p>\n
Wismoyo said that the association needed to draw up a better
\nstrategy in its bid to retain the country's first ever Olympic
\ngolds won by Susi Susanti and Alan Budikusuma in the women's and
\nmen's singles respectively.<\/p>\n
Olympic badminton will offer five golds for men's and women's
\nsingles, men's and women's doubles and mixed doubles. Only two
\nsingles golds were at stake when badminton made its debut at the
\nGames in Barcelona four years ago.<\/p>\n
Iwan Setiawan, the association's training director, said that
\nIndonesia is grooming 11 men and nine women shuttlers for the
\nOlympics.<\/p>\n
Hariyanto Arbi, Joko Suprianto, Alan and Ardy Wiranata, who
\ndominate the world men's singles rankings, are among Indonesia's
\nOlympic hopefuls. In the women's singles, Indonesia looks set to
\nbank on defending champion Susi and teenagers Mia Audina and
\nLydia Djaelawidjaja.<\/p>\n
"The shuttlers will make their final preparations for the
\nOlympics in the All England championships," Iwan said.<\/p>\n
Iwan said the Indonesian Olympic badminton team will be
\nannounced after the All England. The oldest and most prestigious
\nbadminton tournament, scheduled for March 13 to March 17 in
\nBirmingham, serves as the last qualifying round for the Olympics.<\/p>\n
Only the top 16 in their respective divisions according to the
\nworld rankings by the International Badminton Federation at the
\nend of this March will qualify for the Olympics. The world
\nrankings will also determine the seeding.<\/p>\n
The IBF has given Indonesia the privilege of sending three
\nplayers in each of men's and women's singles, one more than the
\nquota of other countries.<\/p>\n
Olympic badminton matches will run from July 24 to Aug. 1 at
\nthe Georgia State University's indoor stadium.<\/p>\n
Iwan said that Indonesian players would also face a daunting
\nfitness test before the Olympics when they defend their Thomas
\nCup and Uber Cup trophies in Hong Kong in May.<\/p>\n
"The world team championships will also serve as a warm-up for
\nour players heading for the Olympics," Iwan said.<\/p>\n
An official of the council, Aribinuko Tjiptoadhidjojo, said
\nthat he was worried about the fast progress by Asian and European
\nrivals.<\/p>\n
"China, South Korea, Sweden and Denmark shuttlers have quickly
\nimproved lately. If we don't watch them they will pose a big
\nthreat to us," he said. (05)<\/p>",
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