PBSI has set low targets in World Junior C'ships

JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) has not set a high target in the World Junior Badminton Championships for Bimantara Cup in Guangzhou, China, next month.

PBSI deputy in charge of athletes development, Hadi Nazri, said Wednesday that the most realistic target would be only to reach the quarterfinals of the championships.

"It is difficult for our shuttlers to reach the semifinals in both the individual and team championships because our girl shuttlers are weak."

The championships, which will take place from Nov. 1 to Nov. 13, uses the Sudirman Cup formation in which a team comprises players for men's singles, women's singles, a men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles.

"The championships will also feature the new scoring system which uses the best of five games, each set has seven points," Hadi said on the phone.

Indonesia will send 22 junior shuttlers comprising of Sony Dwi Kuncoro, Anggun Nugroho, Ardiansah and Taufik Hidayat in the boys' singles; Mona Santoso, Dewi Tira, Dian Novita and Silvi Antarini in the girls' singles; Heru Pamungkas/Yan Peter and Hendra Gunawan /Markis Kidho in the boys' doubles; Endang NS/Lita Nuralita and Monica P/Devi in the girls' doubles; and Hendra/Lita, Yusuf Ahmad/Endang, Bambang MS/Rani and Hendra Setiawan/Lina M in the mixed doubles.

PBSI secretary general Leo Chandra Wiranata said that the International Badminton Federation (IBF) had decided to stage an individual and team championships this year.

"The IBF starts the team event this year. Perhaps in the future, it will also stage boys' and girls' team events such as the Thomas and Uber Cup championships."

The 22 shuttlers were selected from 31 shuttlers groomed at the Indonesia Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta.

Speaking on the Final Grand Prix, Leo said European shuttlers would likely miss the annual event as they failed to compete in three tournaments in Asia due to the cancellation of three events; Singapore, Hong Kong and China Opens. IBF regulations require players to compete in three tournaments outside their continent to qualify to participate in the Final Grand Prix.

"The Asian tournaments were only the Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia Opens and they were over before the Olympics. The IBF said the regulation would be applied this year," he said.

"In Sydney, the IBF had said that it was not the European players fault but the hosting countries and IBF itself. IBF should have fined the hosting countries, which canceled the event," he said, failing to mention the amount of the cancellation fines.

The Final Grand Prix will take place in Brunei Darussalam in February. (yan)