More entries sought for badminton tourney

More entries sought for badminton tourney

JAKARTA (JP): Organizers of the Sanyo Indonesia Open Badminton
Championships are holding out for more entries despite Friday's
official registration closure for the tournament.

Secretary-general of the Badminton Association of Indonesia
Leo Ch. Wiranata told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that countries
could still submit names of participants even after the entries
are submitted to the International Badminton Federation (IBF)
next week for the drawing.

"If we have already sent the list, they can send their
athletes' names directly to the IBF," he said.

The association and the tournament promoter, the International
Management Group, are staging the US$120,000 Indonesia Open at
the Senayan Indoor stadium from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1.

Lack of sponsors has forced the organizers to reduce the prize
purse from last year's $200,000, a move which automatically
lowered the tournament's ranking from five stars to four.

Malaysia confirmed its participation on Friday evening by
submitting names of second-string players Yong Hock Kin, Yap Yong
Jyen, James Chua in the men's singles and Pang Cheh Chang/Cheah
Soon Thoe, Lee Wan Wah/Chew Choon Eng, Chang Chong Ming/Jeremy
Gan in the men's doubles. Danish coach Morten Frost Hansen will
accompany the team.

Poland, the Netherlands and Brunei Darussalam confirmed
earlier this week. Nigeria is also set to send a team.

On Wednesday, Denmark confirmed it would send a full-strength
team, including the 1996 Olympic gold medalist Poul-Erik Hoyer-
Larsen, the 1997 World Champion Peter Rasmussen and current world
number one Peter Gade Christensen.

Meanwhile, Indonesian men's doubles player Sigit Budiarto, who
partners Candra Wijaya, fears he may be absent from the 13th
Asian Games in Bangkok from Dec. 6 to Dec. 20 because of a bout
of typhoid last month.

"It depends on the coach and officials. But I'll be
disappointed if I miss the Asiad," said the 1997 World Champion.

Coach Atik Jauhari urged Sigit to evaluate his form in the
Indonesia Open before deciding if he could compete at the Asiad.

Due to his illness, Sigit could not play in the Denmark Open
this month. Candra will partner Hermono.

"I really want to defend my title at the Indonesia Open but
let's just wait and see," Sigit was quoted as saying by Antara.

Separately, the association's vice chairman Agus
Wirahadikusumah said Indonesia's best hope in the women's
singles, Mia Audina, had fallen into line after the association
sent a warning letter to her about her relationship with
boyfriend Tylio Lobman, which has disrupted her training.

"Mia understands about her behavior and she has tried hard to
improve," Agus said.

Mia, the 1997 Japan Open winner and the singles silver
medalist in the Atlanta Olympics, has suffered a title drought
this year. She is expected to fill the shoes of Indonesia's
badminton mainstay Susi Susanti, who is pregnant and expected to
retire. Susi, who married fellow 1992 Olympic gold medalist Alan
Budikusuma in early 1997, won the bronze at the 1996 Olympics.
(yan)