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.