RI hopes for five SEAG golds in badminton

RI hopes for five SEAG golds in badminton

by Primastuti Handayani

JAKARTA (JP): From the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games to the
Olympics, badminton has always been the one sure bet for
Indonesia at multisport events to contribute gold medals.

Which is why the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI)
sparked such a controversy with its plan to field a squad of
second-string shuttlers to compete at the 20th SEA Games in
Brunei Darussalam from Aug. 7 to Aug. 15.

The National Sports Council (KONI) was against the plan and
urged PBSI to field one of its top three players: Hendrawan, Budi
Santoso or Taufik Hidayat.

KONI said the 19-year-old Taufik had the most potential to
lead Indonesia to a sweep of the seven badminton gold medals on
offer at the event. Such a sweep would go a long way toward
helping Indonesia earn at least 70 gold medals and retain its
overall SEA Games title.

KONI official in charge of athlete development Mochammad
Hindarto said Indonesia would face a tough challenge from arch
rival Thailand in its bid to retain its overall title.

"It's really difficult to win a gold medal. If badminton can
contribute seven golds, why should they only win five? That's why
we expect Taufik to join the squad," he said.

PBSI had insisted it would not send Taufik to Brunei for the
Games because he was focusing on qualifying for the 2000 Sydney
Olympics. As part of these qualifications, he will compete in the
Singapore Open from Aug. 25 to Aug. 29 and the Indonesia Open
from Sept. 1 to Sept. 5.

However, the second-string shuttlers' poor performance in the
Malaysia and Thailand opens earlier this month forced PBSI to
reverse its decision and name Taufik to the SEA Games squad.

Jeffer Rosobin, who was expected to be the squad's standout
player, lost to Malaysians Rashid Sidek and Wong Choon Han in the
respective tournaments.

Taufik, a finalist at the All England tournament, is expected
to triumph over the Malaysians shuttlers, including rising star
Wong Choon Han, the 1998 Commonwealth champion and a 1999
Malaysia Open finalist.

Indonesia also hopes Taufik will help Indonesia take the gold
in the men's team event.

PBSI expects its shuttlers to win gold medals in women's
singles, women's doubles, women's team, mixed doubles and men's
team.

Due to Taufik's participation in the biennial event, doubles
specialist Imam Tohari was dropped from the squad.

Taufik expressed reservations about his participation in the
event, saying it would disturb his preparations for the Singapore
and Indonesia opens, which serve as qualifiers for the Olympics.

"If only PBSI had told me earlier, I could have better
prepared myself. Now I have less than a month for the Games,
while I also have to concentrate on both the Singapore and
Indonesia opens.

"It's not that I don't want to fight for my country, but I was
shocked by the sudden announcement. Me and my coach must change
my training program," he said.

PBSI official in charge of athlete development Mangombar
Ferdinand Siregar said although Taufik was competing in the SEA
Games, it would not disturb his training for the Olympic
qualifying events.

"We will work hard to overcome his faults in the remaining
training sessions. I'm sure he is ready for the SEA Games," he
said.

The women shuttlers will face their less powerful rivals from
Malaysia and Thailand in Brunei.

Thailand's Sujitra Eakmongkolpaisarn could be the dark horse
who will threaten Indonesian supremacy. Sujitra, who reached the
1998 Asian Games quarterfinals, is very good around the net,
women's singles coach Liang Chiusia said.

She said Indonesian shuttlers must be very patient and force
her to play from the baseline. "If they want to put pressure on
Sujitra, they have to make sure they are ready at the net.
Otherwise, she will control the game."

One of the women's doubles teams of Etty Tantri/Cynthia
Tuwankotta and Indarti Issoliana/Emma Ermawati is also expected
to take a gold medal.

Originally, Emma was to partner Vita Marissa. However, Vita
had to be hospitalized for appendix surgery, and had to be
replaced on the squad.

Head coach Christian Hadinata said although Indarti and Emma
had never played together before, they would not have any
problems adjusting for the Games.

They are professional players, so they will be able to adapt
to each other soon. Besides, we hope the gold will come from Etty
and Cynthia," he said.

Badminton team members

Men's: Taufik Hidayat, Jeffer Rosobin, Ronny Agustinus and Johan
Hadikusuma (singles); Flandy Limpele, Eng Hian, Halim Heryanto
and Agung Wahyu (doubles).

Women's: Cindana Hartono, Lydia Djaelawidjaja, Ellen Angelina and
Yuli Marfuah (singles); Etty Tantri, Cynthia Tuwankotta, Indarti
Issoliana and Emma Ermawati (doubles).