MILO takes part in maintaining Indonesia's badminton supremacy
PT Nestle Indonesia, producer of healthy food drink Nestle MILO, is helping to create young and promising badminton players by sponsoring junior badminton championships.
Since 2001 Nestle Indonesia has sponsored the annual badminton championship, the MILO Junior Indonesia Open (MJIO), including providing total cash prize of US$11,000 for the winners of the boys and girls' singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
"By sponsoring the MJIO, we do not only want to make our product, healthy food drink Nestli MILO, close to our consumers, especially children, but we also want to take part in the scouting of talented athletes," said PT Nestle Indonesia's Head of Marketing Other Beverages (MILO) Nugi Nugroho.
Nestle is committed to support event junior with the hope that it would motivate more young people to learn badminton, said Nugi.
Nestli, however, takes a more idealistic view in sponsoring the junior badminton championship. "We want to built a strong connection between Nestle MILO and consumers through sports and the development of sport, particularly badminton, in Indonesia."
The popularity of badminton in the country is the primary reason the company chose the sport as its sponsorship target.
"Besides, it could maintain the glory that Indonesia enjoyed in the sport since 1960s. That past glory should be maintained through constant talent scouting. Scouting is the key for producing new talented players who will replace the veteran players in the future," he added.
Nugi said the MJIO, which has been held since 2001, has given birth to young and talented badminton players. Several of the badminton players on the Indonesia's national team for international championships such as the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup are winners of the previous MJIO.
For example, Firdasari, who has taken part in the recent Uber Cup, won the women's singles at the MJIO in Surabaya, East Java, in 2002 and at the MJIO the following year in Yogyakarta, Central Java.
Silvi Antarini, who has also taken part in Uber Cup, won the women's singles at the MJIO in Surakarta, Central Java, in 2001.
Sony Dwi Kuncoro and Simon Santoso, who have taken part in the Thomas Cup, also scored wins at the MJIO in 2001 and 2002, respectively.
"The MJIO is expected to identify new badminton talent so that they can replace the senior players in the future. In this way, hopefully Indonesia can maintain its supremacy in badminton on the international scene," Nugi said.
According to Nugi, the MJIO and other events preceding MJIO, such as the MILO -Yonex Inter-School Badminton Competition (MYKBAS) Championships for School Students are subject to study and evaluation to find out whether they meet the objectives of the parties involved in the event.
MYKBAS is held to scout new talented badminton players. "The new players who win the event are entitled to taking part in MJIO," Nugie said.
Nestle and related parties, such as the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) and PT Gematama Kreasindo, the organizer of the badminton championships, evaluate the junior badminton championship each year.
"Improvements (in organizing the event) are made to make the next year's tournament better," Nugi said.
"Based on our evaluation, the MJIO has grown not only in terms of the number of participating countries but also in the quality of the players," he said.
The parameters used to measure the quality of a junior badminton tournament is the number of participating countries known as badminton powers.
"The more participating players from countries renowned for their dominance in the sport, the better quality the event," Nugi said.
MJIO 2004 is expected to be better than previous versions in terms of the quality of play.
"More countries that are badminton powerhouses, such as China, China-Taipei, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan, will take part in the badminton championship," he said. -- The Jakarta Post