RI shuttlers called on for Olympic torch relay

Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Twelve years after their golden run at the Barcelona Olympics, former badminton stars Susi Susanti and Alan Budi Kusuma will take part in the Olympic torch relay leading up to the 2004 Athens Games.

The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) confirmed on Wednesday the Olympic couple's participation in the relay, saying the pair would take turns running for 400 meters on the island of Crete in the middle of July.

While the Olympics will take place from Aug. 13 to Aug. 29, the torch relay started on March 25 with a lighting ceremony in Olympia.

After seven days in Greece, the flame is scheduled for a trip around the world before returning to Greece for the second leg of its domestic journey starting on July 9.

More than 11,000 torch bearers will be involved in the relay in and beyond Greece.

Susi said that she was proud to represent Indonesia in the torch relay.

"Winning an Olympic gold medal itself was an undeniably pride- provoking achievement. Now we have been invited to visit the home of the oldest sporting games in the world. Well, we feel honored," the 33-year-old, who retired in 1999, said during a media conference here on Wednesday.

Susi and Alan's participation was proposed by Samsung, which is the main sponsor of the torch relay.

Lee Kang-hyun, the president director of Samsung Electronics Indonesia (SEIN), said the couple had been selected because they were the only married gold medalists.

Alan said he was extremely pleased to again be part of the Olympics, even if this time around it would not be as a competitor.

"Sometimes we miss the sports world, so we are very happy to be involved again, though we will not be on court," he said.

"We may have to do a little jogging around here, just to make sure we can reach our destination with the torch safely in our hands," Alan joked when asked about their preparation for the run.

Susi and Alan are fondly remembered as the golden couple after they, then only engaged to be married, won Indonesia's first-ever gold medals at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Four years later, Susi won a bronze medal in Atlanta.

PBSI secretary-general Lutfi Hamid said their participation in the torch relay was a golden opportunity for Susi and Alan, and an enormous show of appreciation from the sports world for their past achievements.