Haryanto, Lidya to compete in Samsung Korea Open

Haryanto, Lidya to compete in Samsung Korea Open

JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Federation of Indonesia (PBSI) is
to field its veteran men's singles shuttler, world number nine
Haryanto Arbi, and women's singles shuttler, world number 12
Lidya Djaelawijaya to compete in the US$250,000 Samsung Korea
Open in the Cheju Islands, South Korea, from Wednesday to Sunday.

Haryanto's road to victory will be a rough one, however, as he
must fight off top shuttlers, including world number one Peter
Gade Christensen and his senior partner Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen of
Denmark, Luo Yi-gang and Chen Hong of China and Malaysians Wong
Choong Hann, Yong Hock Kin and their seniors Ong Ewe Hock and
Rashid Sidek.

In the absence of top Chinese women's shuttlers, Lidya, will
have to fight hard against women's shuttler Camilla Martin and
host country shuttler Kim Ji-hyun for a winning spot.

For the men's doubles event, PBSI is sending the world runner
up pair of Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan and the seventh seeded
pair of Flandi Limpele and Eng Hian.

In the women's sector, PBSI is sending young hopefuls Etty
Tantri and Cynthia Tuwankotta, currently ranked world number
eight, and the world number 13 pair of Indarti Issolina and
Carmelita.

PBSI is still depending on the old reliables of Tri
Kusharyanto and Minarti Timur to book a winning spot in the mixed
doubles. The senior pair are currently placed at number three in
the world .

Host South Korea apparently hopes for a clean sweep in the
doubles of the six-star event, which is also a prequalifying
round for the 2000 Olympic Games.

The world number one pair of Ha Tae-kwon and Kim Dong-moon and
their juniors Lee Dong-so and Yoo Yong-sung, currently seeded
fourth in the world, are ready to put an end to the domination of
Candra and Tony.

Kim will also compete in the mixed doubles event, pairing with
Ra Kyung Min. They are world runners up after Liu Yong and Ge Fei
from China. The latter have failed to show up for the event,
which is the first to be staged this year.

Ra, who pairs with Chung Jae-hee in the women's doubles, will
likely face a tough challenge against Danish pair of Helene
Kirkegaard and Rikke Olsen to pave their way to victory.

Their chances, however, look bright as top world women's pair
of Ge Fei and Gu Jun from China have also failed to show up for
the event. (ivy)