Candra, Sigit to team up at the Korean Open

Candra, Sigit to team up at the Korean Open

JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI)
will partner Olympics gold medalists Candra Wijaya and Sigit
Budiarto for the Korean Open early January.

Candra is separated from regular partner Tony Gunawan in the
championships due to limited preparation time.

"Tony has to compete in the Copenhagen Masters around
Christmas, and is likely to be tired after the event," said
Candra after a training session at the Indonesian Badminton
Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta, on Wednesday.

Tony will partner Halim Heryanto in the Copenhagen Masters and
the Korean Open.

"Our points in the International Badminton Federation (IBF)
rankings have fallen because we had to skip one competition.
Unfortunately, by being separated for the Korean Open, our points
will be reduced further," Candra said.

Candra and Tony, who reached last year's Korean Open
semifinals, are now ranked second in the world, after compatriots
Flandy Limpele and Eng Hian.

Candra said he did not set any target but he was sure that he
and Sigit could perform well.

"Sigit and I had performed really well when we managed to win
the 1997 World Championships title. Tony and Halim also managed
to win the Grand Prix Final in 1998. I think we have enough
strength amongst our pairs to defeat the South Korean pairs," he
said.

Candra was paired with Tony in 1998 after Sigit was found
guilty of consuming the anabolic steroid, nandrolone, and banned
from international competitions for one year.

Host South Korea will field its world number three pair, Lee
Dong-soo and Yoo Yong-sung; the Olympic silver medalist and world
number five, Kim Dong-moon; and Ha Tae-kwon, an Olympic bronze
medalist.

The PBSI has planned to also send Flandy and Eng Hian, Nova
Widhiyanto and Endra Mulyajaya, and Santoso Sugiharjo and Ade
Lukas in the men's doubles.

Men's singles players Marlev Mainaky, Budi Santoso, Johan
Hadikusuma and Ronny Agustinus will also be sent. In the women's
singles, Yuli Marfuah and Atu Rosalina will represent the country
while the women's doubles team will include Deyana Lomban and
Carmelita, Etty Tantri and Indarti Issoliana, and Dyah Novita and
Rossy Riani. In the mixed doubles, the PBSI will field Etty and
Nova, and Wahyu Agung and Emma Ermawati.

PBSI has announced that the Korean Open competitors will start
their training program on Jan. 4.

"I won't take any days off. I'll return home to celebrate
Christmas for just three days before returning to the training
center to prepare myself," Candra Wijaya said. (yan)