Badminton players face tougher task ahead

Badminton players face tougher task ahead

Primastuti Handayani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The year 2003 was definitely a gloomy year for the Indonesian
badminton squad due to its poor achievements in international
tournaments.

Taufik Hidayat, who had looked ready to become the country's
best men's-singles player, lost his grip in the International
Badminton Federation (IBF)-sanctioned tournaments by only winning
one singles title at the Indonesia Open before his home-crowd in
Batam, Riau province.

Other players, like Marlev Mainaky and Rony Agustinus, fared
even worse, not reaching the finals in any of the men's singles
tournaments they played.

Although Indonesia has dominated the men's doubles event for
the last decade, the country's best duo of Candra Wijaya/Sigit
Budiarto only collected a title at the All England.

The 1997 world champions, unfortunately bowed out to the
Danish pair of Lars Paaske/Jonas Rasmussen in the World
Championships final, and failed to collect another victory. After
the event, they split up and Candra teamed up with Halim
Heryanto, while Sigit partnered Tri Kusheryanto.

Compatriots Flandy Limpele/Eng Hian, however, managed to
contribute another title from the Japan Open.

The result was far from satisfying, particularly with the hard
task ahead. Next year, Indonesia will face the 2004 Thomas Cup
men's team championship - to be staged at the Bung Karno Sports
Complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta - and the Olympic Games in
Athens.

The Thomas Cup has always been particularly significant for
Indonesia, with the national team retaining the trophy for five
consecutive times between, and a total of 21 times.

During the biennial event, team spirit usually soars, giving
fanatical supporters the confidence that the national team will
once again win -- although they perform poorly in individual
tournaments.

But the shuttlers must work harder next year as other
countries' young players, particularly the Chinese, have shown
great improvement.

Next year, Hendrawan, the hero of the last three Thomas Cups,
will no longer be playing for Indonesia. He resigned from the
national squad early October due to prolonged injuries, and to
the disappointment of the Badminton Association of Indonesia
(PBSI).

As a senior player, Hendrawan -- the 2000 Sydney Olympics
silver medalist and 2001 world champion -- had proven that he was
the national squad's backbone. He was known to be reliable, as
the most decisive player at the most critical moment, including
his victory in the third men's singles event, when Indonesia and
Malaysia tied 2-2 in last year's Thomas Cup final in Guangzhou,
China.

Without Hendrawan, Taufik must deal with the pressure of
becoming the backbone of the national squad.

Indonesia's second-stringer, Sony Dwi Kuncoro, emerged as a
new hope for the country after retaining his title at the Asian
Badminton Championships in Jakarta by defeating Taufik.

Recently, he grabbed gold medals at the 2003 Southeast Asian
(SEA) Games in the men's singles and men's team events in
Vietnam.

Sony might not be on last year's Thomas Cup squad list, but he
did join the team in a way, as a "laundry boy", whose job was to
collect his seniors dirty clothing. On the way home, he was
tasked with guarding the Thomas Cup.

His experience, watching the winning team at work, will surely
boost his confidence when he joins the squad next year.

Speculation on the Thomas Cup goes hand-in-hand with
commentary on the women's team championships the Uber Cup. But,
with women's shuttlers twice failing to enter the semifinals, it
is unlikely that they will do any better this year.

After Susy Susanti resigned in 1998 and Mia Audina later moved
to the Netherlands, Indonesia does not have a single player good
enough to boost the team to greater heights.

Next on the agenda is the biggest international sporting
event, the Olympics. In the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Indonesian
shuttlers won a gold in the men's doubles and two silvers for the
men's singles and mixed doubles.

If PBSI wants to hold fast to its gold tradition, this seems
possible in the men's doubles, with the biggest medal-chance
compared to other events.

Badminton lovers might criticize PBSI for its athletes' poor
form. However, critics should also address the officials and the
government for their failure to develop the sport at the grass
roots level.

PBSI must join with the Ministry of National Education to
popularize badminton among students. The ministry, which
incorporates the sport directorate general, must also provide
facilities for students in rural areas, so that they too have the
chance to play the sport.

PBSI must also work together with private sectors to organize
more tournaments for clubs, students and children in all
provinces.

An independent talent-scouting committee is also needed to
supply the association with really talented young shuttlers that
can be groomed to become international-level athletes.