PBSI urged to include Taufik in SEA Games team<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) urged the
\nBadminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) to include men's
\nsingles Taufik Hidayat in the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games
\nteam to compete in Brunei Darussalam next month.<\/p>\n
\"We have difficulties earning gold in Brunei. If our shuttlers
\ncan make a clean sweep of seven golds, why should they only
\ntarget five golds?\" said KONI official in charge of athletes
\ndevelopment, Mochammad Hindarto, on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
PBSI has targeted five golds from the women's singles and
\ndoubles team, and the mixed doubles and men's doubles events.<\/p>\n
Hindarto said if PBSI sent Taufik, Indonesia had a chance to
\nmake a clean sweep of the golds, as the 19-year-old shuttler
\nstood a good chance of winning the men's singles and men's team
\nevents.<\/p>\n
PBSI has registered Jeffer Rosobin, Ronny Agustinus, Johan
\nHadikusuma, Flandy Limpele, Eng Hian, Halim Heryanto, Imam Tohari
\nand Agung Wahyu in the men's team. Cindana, Ellen Angelina, Lidya
\nDjaelawidjaja, Yuli Marfuah, Etty Tantri, Cynthia Tuwankotta,
\nEmma Ermawati and Vita Marissa are registered in the women's
\nteam.<\/p>\n
PBSI official in charge of athletes development, Mangombar
\nFerdinand Siregar, told The Jakarta Post that Taufik needed to
\ntake a break after his poor performance in the Sudirman Cup and
\nWorld Championships. Taufik was blamed for his below-standard
\nform against Denmark's Peter Gade Christensen in the Sudirman Cup
\nsemifinals, which Indonesia lost 2-3 to the host.<\/p>\n
\"Taufik is focusing on the Olympics, along with Hendrawan and
\nBudi Santoso. PBSI has a big responsibility to win gold at the
\nOlympics.<\/p>\n
\"We'll see how he manages to overcome his psychological
\nbarrier after both major events in the Indonesia Open in
\nSeptember in Bali,\" Siregar said.<\/p>\n
He said even if Taufik would perform at the Games, he might
\nnot win easily, because Malaysia would field the 1998
\nCommonwealth Games champion Wong Choon Han, who lost to Luo
\nYigang of China in the Malaysia Open last week.<\/p>\n
\"Malaysia is very strong in the men's singles and doubles.
\nDon't even underestimate Thailand, because its women's singles,
\nSujitra Eakmongkolpaisarn, is also good.\"<\/p>\n
Siregar said despite the strong opposition, PBSI was looking
\nto repeat its clean sweep of two years ago.<\/p>\n
\"But we shouldn't be careless, because we have priorities in
\nthe Olympics and the Thomas and Uber Cup championships.\"<\/p>\n
He said he would evaluate shuttlers' performances in the
\nMalaysia Open and the ongoing Thailand Open.<\/p>\n
\"The evaluation will be reported to KONI, at the latest, on
\nJuly 8, two days prior to the deadline. I'm also worried about
\nour men's singles performances, but I'll wait for reports from
\nthe coaches.\"<\/p>\n
At the Malaysia Open, Indonesia won one title from Candra
\nWijaya\/Tony Gunawan, the 1999 All England champions, who beat
\ncompatriots Flandy Limpele\/Eng Hian. (ivy\/yan)<\/p>",
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