RI sends juniors ton China Open
RI sends juniors ton China Open
JAKARTA (JP): World number one Ardy Wiranata and number seven
Alan Budikusuma lead a pack of Indonesian second stringers to the
China Open badminton championships in Liaoning, starting today.
National coach Indra Gunawan said the sending of the second
stringers was aimed at increasing their exposure to international
competitions for the sake of experience and at comparing their
ability to that of China.
"Hence, it is not victories we're looking for," Indra said,
referring to the championships merely as a testing ground for the
young players. Two seniors, former All-England champion Ardy and
Olympic gold medalist Alan, were there to motivate the juniors,
Indra said.
The two are the country's only world-class players included in
the championships after the recently concluded Hong Kong Open.
Ardy lost in the final, and Alan in the semifinals to the same
opponent, fellow Indonesian Hariyanto Arbi.
Other major Indonesian absentees from the China Open will
include women's world number one Susi Susanti, reigning All-
England champion Hariyanto and the world's strongest men doubles
Rexy Mainaky and Ricky Subagja. They went home directly after
spearheading a winning Indonesian team in the Hong Kong Open.
Indra said that next year Indonesia will have to decide which
of the young shuttlers should be chosen and prepared for the 1996
Olympic in Atlanta, the United States, and which of them should
be seasoned and matured by exposing them to various international
championships.
This is going to be a difficult decision, Indra said. It will
require a lot of money and a good scheduling to prevent
overlapping problems in sending the young shuttlers to various
championships next year.
Indra added that the China battle also serves as a tool to
preview future competition among the world's budding shuttlers.
The male second stringers Indonesia is fielding during the
championships are Lioe Tiong Ping, Hendrawan, Marleve Mainaky,
Ade Sutrina/Chandra Wijaya. The female shuttlers are Mia Audina,
Ika Henny, Ita Ardwiantini, Carmelitta and Meluawati.
Mia, who made her first appearance after her triumphant Uber
Cup campaign, reached the semifinals in Hong Kong only to lose to
second seed Lim Xiaoqing of Sweden. (arf)