Bali to host national badminton tourney

Bali to host national badminton tourney

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's top world shuttlers Joko Suprianto,
Ardy B. Wiranata, Hermawan Susanto, Hariyanto Arbi, and Susi
Susanti have confirmed their entry into the annual national
badminton championships.

The event is set for Nov. 28 to Dec. 3 in Denpasar, Bali.

I Gusti Ketut Anom, the chairman of the Bali Chapter of the
PBSI (Badminton Association of Indonesia), said that for the
event, the local administration is preparing five badminton
stadiums in Denpasar and Kuta, which include the 3,000-seat
Ngurah Rai stadium.

Sumaryono, PBSI's executive chief said yesterday that Jakarta,
West Java, East Java and Central Java, all home to top Indonesian
shuttlers, and the host, Bali, will each be allowed to send a
delegation of 17 players. The other 22 Indonesian provinces will
be eligible to field 11 players each.

R.A.J. Gosal, PBSI's secretary general, said that as of Nov.
15 each shuttler training at the national training center
(Pelatnas) will be sent back to their clubs for preparation for
the championships.

Lufti Hamid, a PBSI chairman in charge of provincial
badminton administration, said the organizers, PBSI and cigarette
maker PT BAT, had decided to give cash prizes to the winners. The
amount of the prize money has yet to be announced, he added.

Lufti said that unlike the Thomas Cup or the Uber Cup
championships which feature only men's or women's teams, the
national championships will use the Sudirman match system which
features men's and women's singles and men's and women's doubles
plus mixed doubles.

The national championships will also feature junior
championships, intended for shuttlers under 18 years old. (arf).