RI shuttlers confident of retaining cups

RI shuttlers confident of retaining cups

JAKARTA (JP): With all preparations having been completed at
full strength, only bad luck will stop Indonesia from retaining
the biannual Thomas and Uber Cups, according to the team manager.

Indonesian team manager Agus Wirahadikusumah said upon arrival
in Hong Kong Monday that his squad had been in intensive training
for the world badminton team championships since January. The
competition starts on Friday.

"The preparations alone are worth praising. I won't judge the
players' ability on their performance this week. If they lose,
they will just have been unlucky," Agus said, as quoted by
Kompas.

Agus was optimistic that Indonesia's shuttlers would fare as
they did in 1994 and 1996, when they won the trophies, thanks to
their mental and physical readiness.

The Indonesian badminton team, which consists of 10 male
players, 10 female players, and 17 officials, received a warm
welcome from Indonesian Consul General Lili Sobari shortly after
arriving at Kaitak International Airport.

Indonesia is grouped with the Netherlands, South Korea and
Malaysia in the Thomas Cup, the men's competition. The defending
champions are expected to emerge as group winners and set up a
semifinal encounter with either top seed China or European
powerhouse Denmark.

In the Uber Cup, contested by the ladies, Indonesia will face
the Netherlands, South Korea and England. On paper, Indonesia
should reach the semifinals.

The Uber Cup team, lead by Susi Susanti, will start their
campaign against England on Friday, while their male compatriots
play the Netherlands on Saturday.

This year's event, to be held at the Queen Elizabeth Indoor
Stadium, coincides with the competition's golden anniversary.

Indonesia has won the Thomas Cup a record 10 times since 1958,
and the Uber Cup three times, in 1975, 1994 and 1996.

To boost team spirit during the competition, the Badminton
Association of Indonesia (PBSI) has provided free tickets for
Indonesian supporters.

Five hundred tickets are available for the final matches and
200 tickets for each semifinals, Antara reported.

The association's executive chairman Karsono also called on 30
Indonesian female workers who traveled on the same flight as the
badminton team to attend the matches. (emf)