Candra/Sigit reach World final

Candra/Sigit reach World final

BRITAIN: Men's doubles shuttlers Candra Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto
salvaged some pride for their homeland on Saturday by coming back
from behind to secure a place in the final of the 2003 Badminton
World Championships in Birmingham, England.

Eleventh seeded Candra and Sigit started the first game at a
fast pace but were outplayed by seventh seeds Cai Yun and Fu
Haifeng of China, who won 15-6.

The Indonesians recouped to take the second game after
trailing 2-8, eventually winning 15-10.

In the decider, the Indonesian shuttlers pulled away from the
Chinese from 2-2 and led throughout to win 15-9.

The Indonesians, World Champions in 1997, will face the
winners of the later semifinal between fourth-seeded Danes Larske
Paaske and Jonas Rasmussen against the Chinese pair of Sang Yang
and Zheng Bo.

The final matches will be held on Sunday.

-- JP

;JP;HBK;
ANPAa..r..
Highlight-Gus Dur-health
Gus Dur health improving
JP/2/HIGH

Gus Dur on the mend

INDONESIA: The condition of former president Abdurrahman "Gus
Dur" Wahid, who has been hospitalized since Friday morning, has
improved, an aide said.

"His physician asked him to take a rest and refrain from
activities that require a lot of thinking," Gus Dur's spokesman
Adhi Massardi was quoted by Antara as saying on Saturday.

Gus Dur, who has suffered at least one stroke in the past, was
rushed to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Central Jakarta
due to unstable blood pressure. Prior to being hospitalized, he
had attended a string of late-hour meetings with leaders of the
National Awakening Party (PKB) in preparation for the Annual
Session of the People's Consultative Assembly, which opened on
Friday. -- JP