Winning Thomas Cup shuttlers receive state reception<\/p>\n
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Members of the men's Thomas Cup badminton team were received
\nlike visiting heads of states when they paid a courtesy call on
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by Chairman of the Badminton Association of
\nIndonesia (PBSI) Chairul Tanjung, the team were treated royally
\nwhen the President received them at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
The exceptional reception is related to their exceptional feat
\nat becoming the first team to hold the cup five times in a row.
\nIn total, Indonesia has achieved 13 victories out of 22 contests.<\/p>\n
Trailing 1-2, Indonesia defeated arch-enemy Malaysia 3-2 in a
\ntense final match last Sunday in Guangzhou, China.<\/p>\n
Singles shuttler Hendrawan, who broke the 2-2 tie to ensure
\nIndonesia's victory, brought the coveted Cup and presented it to
\nMegawati.<\/p>\n
\"I was quite tired when I got the news that we had won the
\nThomas Cup. It was such a good thing as I always pray for the
\nteam's victory,\" she said.<\/p>\n
\"I kept wandering at the podium in Dili whether we could win
\nit again or not, but we finally made it.\"<\/p>\n
Megawati was in Dili last Sunday to attend East Timor's
\nindependence ceremony. The Thomas Cup final took place on the
\nsame day.<\/p>\n
\"I was feeling down when our women's Uber Cup team failed to
\nreach the semifinals.\"<\/p>\n
Also present at the ceremony were Minister of Trade and
\nIndustry Rini Suwandi, Minister of Transportation Agum Gumelar,
\nMinister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno and Minister of Manpower
\nand Transmigration Jacob Nuwawea.<\/p>\n
The ceremony at Merdeka Palace was followed by a luncheon at
\nthe nearby State Palace.<\/p>\n
The shuttlers then paid another courtesy call to Governor
\nSutiyoso at City Hall before hitting the city's thoroughfare in a
\nmerry parade.<\/p>\n
At City Hall, the shuttlers got a livelier reception than the
\nformal one at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
High ranking officials, city employees and badminton
\nenthusiasts packed City Hall's terraces to wait for their
\nsporting heroes to arrive. They broke out in applause when the
\nteam arrived.<\/p>\n
Some of them even took photographs and asked for the
\nshuttlers' autographs.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso said that he was gripped by the exciting situation
\nespecially when second singles Taufik Hidayat received
\ncontroversial treatment from umpire Nahathai Sornprachum of
\nThailand.<\/p>\n
\"I threw down my drinking glass when Taufik threw his racquet
\nin disappointment at the umpire's decision,\" he told the
\nshuttlers.<\/p>\n
\"But Alhamdulillah (praise to God) that we could win and
\ndefend the Cup.\"<\/p>\n
After their brief visit to City Hall, the shuttlers then hit
\nthe road riding on the back of a number of utility vehicles.<\/p>\n
Motorists from City Transportation Agency and City Public
\nOrder Agency also took part in the parade, as well as Harley
\nDavidson and Vespa riders. There were also a number of classic
\ncars in the parade.<\/p>\n
The Cup was placed on a Land Rover with Hendrawan and doubles
\nshuttler Sigit Budiarto aboard.<\/p>",
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