PBSI announces 2004 Olympics' nominees<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) announced on Monday
\nthe lineup of players for the 2004 Olympics, with chairman
\nChairul Tanjung cautioning about the tough road to Athens.<\/p>\n
Given the current International Badminton Federation (IBF)
\nrankings, Chairul said the players would have a challenging task
\nin the next qualifying tournaments.<\/p>\n
\"It will be a difficult task for them. They need great
\nmotivation to qualify, and we, the (PBSI) officials, will need to
\nmonitor the players' performance during their practice at the
\ntraining center and international performance,\" Chairul said on
\nthe sidelines of the opening of PBSI's new office at Wisma Karsa
\nbuilding in Central Jakarta on Monday.<\/p>\n
The badminton competition at the Athens Olympics permits a
\ncountry to enter up to three players who rank in the top 16.<\/p>\n
If the country does not have a player in the top 16, it can
\nhave a maximum of two players who rank in the top 32, or a
\nmaximum of one player who ranks in the top 64.<\/p>\n
In the men's singles, Taufik Hidayat and Sony Dwi Kuncoro are
\nthe only Indonesian players in the top 10, with Taufik in sixth
\nand Sony in ninth place.<\/p>\n
The women's singles rankings, which are dominated by Chinese
\nduo Wang Chen and Zhang Ning in first and second place, have no
\nIndonesian players, leaving Yuli Marfuah languishing at 63.<\/p>\n
Likewise in the women's doubles, 21 is the highest position
\nIndonesians have been able to achieve through Jo Novita and Lita
\nNurlita.<\/p>\n
The men's doubles still have Indonesian hopefuls Candra Wijaya
\nand Sigit Budiarto in contention, who are ranked 10th, while the
\nmixed doubles have better prospects with three Indonesian pairs
\nin the top 16.<\/p>\n
Among the Indonesian nominees is singles player Marleve
\nMainaky, who will make a return to the training center.<\/p>\n
Rudi Hartono, who is in charge of preparing the Indonesian
\nOlympics team, said that Marleve, who is currently ranked 20, had
\nbeen included in the shortlist with the consideration that he
\nstill had a chance to improve his ranking.<\/p>\n
PBSI has assigned a number of trainers to prepare the Olympic
\nteam. They are Joko Supriyanto, Agus Dwi Santoso, Ivanna Lie,
\nVerawati Fajrin, Heri Imam Pierngadi, Paulus Firman and Richard
\nMainaky.<\/p>\n
Rudi said the team line-up would be announced in August, or
\nsix months before the deadline for qualifying which closes in
\nMay.<\/p>\n
List of nominees: (Men's singles) Taufik Hidayat, Sony Dwi
\nKuncoro, Marleve Mainaky, Budi Santoso, Ronny Agustinus, (women's
\nsingles) Yuli Marfuah, Dian Novita Sari, Maria Kristin, (men's
\ndoubles) Candra Wijaya, Sigit Budiarto, Lulu Hadiyanto, Alvent
\nJulianto, Halim Heriyanto, (women's doubles) Jo Novita, Lita
\nNurlita, Eny Erlangga, Lilyana Natsir, (mixed doubles) Nova
\nWidiyanto\/Vita Marissa, Trikus Heriyanto\/Emma Ermawati, Anggun
\nNugroho\/Enny Widiowati.<\/p>",
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