RI leads Thailand in University Games

RI leads Thailand in University Games

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya

Badminton is the only one of the ten sports to have concluded
competition at the 12th ASEAN University Games here on Monday,
with hot rivalries between host nation Indonesia and defending
champion Thailand.

After playing for five days since Thursday, Indonesia's
shuttlers won four gold medals while their Thai opponents grabbed
three.

Indonesia added to its collection with four silver and a
bronze medal, against Thailand's three silver and seven bronze.

The host nation won four gold medals: one in the women's team
competition whose final was played on Saturday and one apiece in
the men's singles, women's singles and men's doubles on Monday.

Thailand triumphed in the mixed and women's doubles on Monday
to make it three gold after its victory in the men's team
competition on Saturday.

"This augurs well for our next challenge as we only won one
gold from badminton in the last ASEAN University Games in the
Philippines," Indonesian badminton team manager Ricardo said on
Monday at the end of the competition.

"We hope these gold medals will inspire other athletes to win
more gold for this country."

Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam collected two bronze
respectively from the men's and women's team badminton
competition to stay in third and fourth positions in the
provisional standings.

Indonesia began its gold collection when David Pohan and Denny
S edged out N. Nuttaphon and K. Siwath 17-16, 15-13 in the men's
doubles final.

Female shuttler Silvi Antarini showed her restraint
particularly in the third set to score 11-6, 3-11, 11-1 in her
victory over fellow Indonesian Maria Kristin in the women's
singles.

"She has good shots, but I turned out to have more patience
and endurance in the game," Silvi said.

Another all-Indonesian final in the men's singles was won by
Taufik Hidayat Akbar over Alamsyah 15-6, 15-12.

Indonesia had the chance to make it five, but women's doubles
pair Purwati and Pipit, who won the opening set, failed to
maintain the pace and lost out 12-15, 15-7, 15-13 to C. Saisamorn
and K. Suphanan of Thailand.

The Indonesian pair faced a serious challenge but they still
scraped to a 15-12 win in the opening set. They raced to a 7-3
lead in the second set only to allow the Thais to come back and
win 15-9.

Purwati and Pipit fell to another script in the third set in
which they battled their way to 10-6 before they let it slip in a
tough match.

The two pairs leveled the score at 12-12 and 13-13 before the
Thais delivered final and punishing strokes to seal victory.

"Purwati and Pipit did not appear to hold their nerve and
allowed the Thais to attack," Ricardo said.

The Thai team set the final match between themselves in the
mixed doubles with N. Nattuphon and W. Vathu beating K. Siwath
and C. Saisamorn 15-6, 15-3.

The week-long championship features ten of 11 nations of the
Association Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The athletes are
competing in ten sports with a total of 114 gold medals up for
grabs.

The basketball, table tennis, tennis are still to play their
preliminary matches, while athletics, which offers the biggest
number of gold at 33, volleyball and pencak silat, will begin
competition on Tuesday.