RI hopes to mine 5 badminton golds in Hiroshima<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Badminton competitions looks to be the
\nIndonesian team's gold mine at the Hiroshima's Asian Games, with
\nnational top shuttlers favored to scoop five out of seven titles
\nup for grabs, a sport expert says.<\/p>\n
Suhantoro, head of the center for sport science at the
\nnational sport governing body (KONI), told reporters on Saturday
\nthat all but one national shuttlers who joined the centralized
\ntraining camp had been tested excellent during their recent
\nphysical examinations.<\/p>\n
Suhantoro is KONI's official in charge of all physical
\nexaminations of national athletes.<\/p>\n
\"The shuttlers need only to maintain their forms to sweep gold
\nmedals,\" Suhantoro said. The examinations held early this month
\nincluded physical endurance, strength and nutrition.<\/p>\n
He also said that the Indonesian standards of both physical
\nfitness and skills are now widely used by badminton players
\nthroughout the world.<\/p>\n
Suhantoro declined to disclose the only shuttler who failed to
\nmeet the standards. \"Ask PBSI (the Badminton Association of
\nIndonesia),\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"PBSI might impose a particular training treatment on the
\nplayer, which now needs changing,\" he assumed. He said a
\nbetterment is still open up prior to the Oct. 2-16 Games.
\nAthletes need between one and a half and two months to regain
\ntheir top forms.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, one of world badminton powerhouses, has been
\nsuffering from a 12-year gold medal drought in Asian Games
\nbadminton competitions. The national shuttlers last collected two
\n\"non-prestigious\" golds in men's doubles and mixed doubles events
\nin 1982.<\/p>\n
PBSI has bid to complete a golden treble in Olympics, Thomas
\nand Uber Cups and Asian Games by fielding its players who
\ncurrently prevail the badminton world in the continent's biggest
\nsporting meet.<\/p>\n
Contrast<\/p>\n
Suhantoro, a former national soccer player, told a contrast
\nstory when he talked about Indonesia's chance in Asiad soccer
\ncompetition.<\/p>\n
\"Our booters' physical fitness are two or three levels below
\nthose of world-rated teams,\" he said. The same tests over the
\nnational soccer team found only two out of 18 booters met the
\ninternational standards. The doctor refused to identify the
\nbeyond average players.<\/p>\n
The poor condition will turn to fiasco if the national players
\nfail to enhance their skills, according to Suhantoro.<\/p>\n
Suhantoro said the poor physical fitness has been the major
\nhandicap for national soccer development.<\/p>\n
\"Based on the facts, does our soccer team deserve places in
\nthe national squad for the upcoming Asiad?\" he asked the pressmen
\nrhetorically. KONI is expected to voice its final words about the
\nfate of national soccer team today.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is grouped with favorite South Korea, which will be
\nrepresented by its World Cup team, China and Kazakhstan in the
\nGames soccer competition preliminary round.<\/p>\n
Other national athletes who were tested excellent came from
\nwind surfing, boxing, karate and rowing.<\/p>\n
Suhantoro was also curious about national tennis queen Yayuk
\nBasuki's physical condition since he has yet to receive any
\nreport on the world-class player's fitness.<\/p>\n
\"She was tested poor before leaving for Barcelona's Olympic
\nGames,\" he said. The Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) wants
\nYayuk to play in women's and mixed doubles events. (amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-hopes-to-mine-5-badminton-golds-in-hiroshima-1447893297",
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