Out-of-form Taufik falls short in Palembang
Out-of-form Taufik falls short in Palembang
Moch. N. Kurniawan and Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Palembang
Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat took a second stunning defeat at
the National Games on the third day of competition as West Java
was denied a place in the men's badminton team final on Saturday.
Inside the fully-packed Jakabaring Badminton Hall, Taufik lost
to fellow Olympian Sony Dwi Kuncoro 15-3, 15-3 as West Java lost
3-0 to East Java, which will now face Jakarta in the final on
Sunday.
The women's division will see Jakarta play against Central
Java in the finals on Sunday after which the individual badminton
matches begin.
West Java, which is keen on finishing as runner-up behind
favorite Jakarta in the quadrennial sporting spectacle, made
amends for its badminton flop by shooting a barrage of gold
elsewhere.
The team took home four of 11 gold medals on offer on the
first day of rowing and canoeing races, courtesy of Sayadin,
Asnawir, Tri Noorendah, Riyanti Rais and Anang.
Papua joined the West Java spree, winning three golds, while
Central Java, Southeast Sulawesi, Central Kalimantan and Jambi
took one each.
With four golds in rowing, one in equestrian and one in
cycling, West Java, as of 7 p.m. Jakarta time, had collected 14
golds to close the gap by one behind runaway leader Jakarta,
which topped the table with 15 golds.
Twenty-four of the 30 participating provinces have now scored
medals from various matches, which local people are increasingly
enthusiastic to watch.
Jakarta added four golds, two from judo -- thanks to Jimmy
Anggoro in the men's 73-81 kilogram category and Dwi Sihmanto in
the men's 81-90 kilogram.
The others came from the wushu arena, courtesy of Dapit in the
men's qiangshu and Susyiana in the women's chagquan.
Saturday's program saw a number of athletes take their second
gold following their first victory on Friday.
Nurdiana won her second from wushu to help North Sumatra
collect an overall 11, while gymnast Yulianti of Lampung put in a
almost flawless performance to win the all-round competition, her
second following her victory on the previous day.
North Sumatra stayed in second on the provisional standings
followed by East Java with eight and host South Sumatra with six
golds.
National archer Rina Dewi Puspita Sari garnered a double
victory to steer East Java to a triple victory by winning three
of the gold medals on offer.
But the reigning champion East Java, which toppled Jakarta in
the overall medal collection in Surabaya in 2000, was still
struggling behind South Sumatra with a five gold haul.