Hariyanto's loss spoils C. Java's badminton win

Hariyanto's loss spoils C. Java's badminton win

JAKARTA (JP): The reigning world badminton champion, Hariyanto
Arbi, suffered a shocking straight-set defeat to lowly Irwansyah
yesterday in their group match at the 14th National Games.

Hariyanto, representing Central Java, flexed all his muscle in
his 12-15, 4-15 defeat to a North Sumatran player whose career
best was winning the Jakarta Open last June.

Despite its giant-killing victory, North Sumatra succumbed to
a 1-4 drubbing by the men's team defending champion. Also
yesterday, favorite Jakarta, steered by world-number-two Joko
Suprianto, blanked South Kalimantan 5-0, and an Alan Budikusuma-
led East Java routed South Sumatra 5-0.

The 2,000 fans who filled the Asia Afrika badminton hall close
to capacity threw their full weight behind unheralded Irwansyah,
who toyed with his experienced opponent in several long rallies.

A determined Irwansyah never let the two-time All-England
champion get close, using smashes and subtle drop-shots for
winners.

Hariyanto was totally down in the second set and started to
tally up mistakes, leaving Irwansyah to work up to 12-1. The
North Sumatran slowed the pace by taking too much time to drink
or wipe off his sweat.

Irwansyah was reprimanded by the referee twice for his energy
saving maneuvers. A quickly recovered Irwansyah allowed Hariyanto
to narrow the margin to 4-12 before finishing the match.

It was Hariyanto's second upset since he left the Atlanta
Olympics empty-handed. He was beaten by Asia champion Jeffer
Rosobin in the second round of the Indonesian Open in Medan,
North Sumatra, a few weeks ago.

"He has not regained his self confidence since his Olympic
defeat," said Central Java coach, Mohammad Basri.

Golf

An exceptional string of seven birdies by local golfer Dana
Mahmud for a fine 5-under par 67 and a three-day total of 214 (72
75 67) made him the leader of the individual golf event at the
Kedaton Golf and Country Club yesterday.

Dana from the Jakarta Golf Club opened the round with a birdie
that let him break below par for the first time since the opening
round Tuesday.

Dana scored another birdie on the next hole and on the 6th,
7th, 12th, 14th and 17th holes. He also shot two bogeys during
the round.

However his brilliant play was not enough to raise his team's
position from third place with a total score 661 (220 224 217),
six strokes behind the leader, West Java.

North Sumatra, which has been on the leader's board since the
opening round, was relegated yesterday to second place with a
total score of 660 (212 226 222).

Sukamdi, the leading player in the North Sumatra team, is
coming second in the individual event with a three-day score of
215 (69 74 72).

Two strokes further back is West Java's Denny Supriadi in
third after shooting a 70 yesterday for a total 217 (72 75 70),
and so is Suparno from North Sumatra (70 76 71) and Bakri from
East Kalimantan (70 73 74).

In the women's competition, the Jakarta team, represented by
the country's top golfers Ani Iman, Retno Mustari and Titi
Puryanti, surged ahead, leading with a total score of 294 (154
140).

Ten shots behind was the North Sumatra team, scoring 314 (159
155), followed by West Java in third place with 316 (162 154).

Ani leads the individual competition after two days with a
score of 144 (76 68), overtaking Retno's 150 (78 72) and Titi
with 156 (80 76) and North Sumatran Yati Joenis with 150 (79 77).

Today the 11 teams men's event and the eight teams in the
women's event will conclude their battle for top honors. This is
the first time that golf has been contested at the National
Games. (amd/rsl).

Medals tally

G S B
Jakarta 32 23 17
West Java 15 16 25
East Java 14 22 19
Central Java 8 7 11
Jambi 8 4 4
Lampung 7 5 11
N. Sulawesi 4 4 7
Irian Jaya 4 4 2
Yogyakarta 4 3 6
C. Kalimantan 4 3 3
E. Kalimantan 4 1 7
S. Sulawesi 3 10 6
North Sumatra 3 3 6
Riau 2 1 2
South Sumatra 2 1 0
Maluku 2 0 4
W. Kalimantan 2 0 1
S. Kalimantan 1 5 0
West Sumatra 1 1 3
Bengkulu 1 1 3
Bali 0 2 5
S. E. Sulawesi 0 2 4
East Nusa Tenggara 0 1 0
C. Sulawesi 0 1 0
East Timor 0 0 3
Aceh 0 0 1