More Olympic gold medals expected from badminton
More Olympic gold medals expected from badminton
JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the National Sports Council, Wismoyo
Arismunandar, urged yesterday Indonesian badminton players to
retain the two gold medals they won four years ago when they
return to the Olympic Games next July.
"If possible, win more gold medals from badminton," Wismoyo
said during a meeting with officials of the Badminton Association
of Indonesia yesterday.
Wismoyo said that the association needed to draw up a better
strategy in its bid to retain the country's first ever Olympic
golds won by Susi Susanti and Alan Budikusuma in the women's and
men's singles respectively.
Olympic badminton will offer five golds for men's and women's
singles, men's and women's doubles and mixed doubles. Only two
singles golds were at stake when badminton made its debut at the
Games in Barcelona four years ago.
Iwan Setiawan, the association's training director, said that
Indonesia is grooming 11 men and nine women shuttlers for the
Olympics.
Hariyanto Arbi, Joko Suprianto, Alan and Ardy Wiranata, who
dominate the world men's singles rankings, are among Indonesia's
Olympic hopefuls. In the women's singles, Indonesia looks set to
bank on defending champion Susi and teenagers Mia Audina and
Lydia Djaelawidjaja.
"The shuttlers will make their final preparations for the
Olympics in the All England championships," Iwan said.
Iwan said the Indonesian Olympic badminton team will be
announced after the All England. The oldest and most prestigious
badminton tournament, scheduled for March 13 to March 17 in
Birmingham, serves as the last qualifying round for the Olympics.
Only the top 16 in their respective divisions according to the
world rankings by the International Badminton Federation at the
end of this March will qualify for the Olympics. The world
rankings will also determine the seeding.
The IBF has given Indonesia the privilege of sending three
players in each of men's and women's singles, one more than the
quota of other countries.
Olympic badminton matches will run from July 24 to Aug. 1 at
the Georgia State University's indoor stadium.
Iwan said that Indonesian players would also face a daunting
fitness test before the Olympics when they defend their Thomas
Cup and Uber Cup trophies in Hong Kong in May.
"The world team championships will also serve as a warm-up for
our players heading for the Olympics," Iwan said.
An official of the council, Aribinuko Tjiptoadhidjojo, said
that he was worried about the fast progress by Asian and European
rivals.
"China, South Korea, Sweden and Denmark shuttlers have quickly
improved lately. If we don't watch them they will pose a big
threat to us," he said. (05)