Ahead of the All England Open Badminton Championships, the Indonesian Team Acclimatises at the National Badminton Centre

The Indonesian badminton team has chosen the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes, England, for acclimatisation before the All England 2026 tournament.

The decision to stay at the British national training centre was made to ensure the physical and mental condition of the athletes, given the comprehensive facilities available and the similar atmosphere to the Cipayung training centre.

The location is considered strategic due to its relatively short distance from Birmingham, where the competition will be held from 3-8 March at the Utilita Arena.

The Indonesian team manager, Shendy Puspa Irawati, said that the choice of Milton Keynes was based on the efficiency of mobility and the completeness of supporting facilities.

“We chose this place because first, the distance from Birmingham is not too far and the facilities are quite complete,” said Shendy in a statement.

In the area, the players have access to accommodation, a fitness centre, a restaurant, and ten training courts in one integrated area.

“This area has a three-star hotel-standard accommodation that is good and comfortable for the children to rest. There is a fitness room, a training area with a capacity of 10 courts, and a restaurant. All are within a distance of less than 100 meters, so it is the same as being at the Cipayung training centre,” Shendy continued.

Over the next three days, the Red and White squad will not only train independently but are also scheduled to have joint training sessions with the British and American national teams.

The collaboration includes training sessions, drills, and strengthening game patterns according to the specific needs of each sector.

“Because we share the courts with the British and American teams who are also training here, this afternoon (British time) and tomorrow morning, we will hold joint training sessions with them,” said Shendy.

She added that the program is not just a simulation, “It’s not just game sessions but there will also be drilling sessions, patterns, and so on according to needs,” she said.

In the initial training session, the team’s main focus was on recovering their physical condition after a long journey.

Alwi Farhan and his colleagues started training with light exercises, stretching, and short game simulations. Mixed doubles athlete, Amri Syahnawi, said that this initial training aims to restore stamina.

“The first day, the training was to restore condition, easy exercises, stretching, and so on. Then it was followed by several training sessions on the field,” said Amri.

For the Amri Syahnawi/Nita Violina Marwah pair, the 2026 All England has a special meaning as it is their debut in the Super 1000 level tournament.

Nita explained that the technical preparation from Jakarta has reached the final stage, so the focus in Milton Keynes is only on the small details and strengthening non-technical aspects.

“Our preparation has been good, everything has been prepared. Now, here, it’s just about the small things. It’s about maintaining our minds, hearts, and mood. And continuing to believe in ourselves,” said Nita.

In line with his partner, Amri affirmed his ambition to give his best performance by perfecting the tactical strategy in the remaining time.

“I’m happy to be able to compete in the All England for the first time. Of course, we want to give our best. Now, it’s just about perfecting the tactics and strategy for the match,” Amri concluded. (Ndf/P-3)

“Our main focus going forward is to prepare Indonesian athletes to be able to perform optimally at the highest level, including the Olympics, through a measurable and sustainable process.”